A long-lost painting by Flemish Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens has sold for an astonishing $2.7 million in France, more than four centuries after it mysteriously vanished from the art world. The rediscovered work, titled Christ on the Cross, was auctioned on Sunday, November 30, in Versailles after it surfaced unexpectedly in a private Paris home filled with lesser-known artworks attributed to Rubens.
The painting, created in the early 1600s, disappeared shortly after its completion and had long been considered lost. Art historians now believe it passed through the hands of renowned 19th-century French painter William Bouguereau, whose family unknowingly preserved it for generations.
What makes the piece exceptionally rare is its depiction of blood and water flowing from the side wound of Christ — a subject Rubens portrayed only once in his prolific career.
“This is the one and only painting showing blood and water coming out of the side wound of Christ,” explained Rubens expert Nils Büttner, noting that while the artist often painted crucifixion scenes, he seldom portrayed Christ’s body in this state.
Auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat, who led the sale, said he had an immediate intuition the artwork was genuine.
“I did everything I could to try to have it authenticated,” he said. “And finally, we managed to have it authenticated by the Rubenianum, the official Rubens committee in Antwerp.”
Art specialist Eric Turquin added that the painting’s disappearance in the 17th century remains a mystery. However, evidence suggests it resurfaced in Bouguereau’s possession centuries later before eventually landing in the Paris townhouse where it was recently uncovered.
The dramatic rediscovery and record sale have sparked excitement throughout the global art community, with experts hailing the find as one of the most significant Rubens revelations in decades.
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