Two Unknown Paintings by Rembrandt Discovered After 200 Years

Two unknown portraits by the Dutch painter Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn have been discovered in a British family's private art collection after 200 years. This was reported by the Financial Times, referencing Christie's auction house.

According to the auction house's experts, the portraits of Jan Willems van der Pluym and his wife, Jaapgen Carels, are believed to be from 1635, originating from Leiden. Henry Petiefer, a representative from Christie's, stated that the experts did not immediately realize they were looking at an original work by Rembrandt. Previously, these works had not been studied by experts and had “entirely vanished from Rembrandt's literature,” said the Christie's representative.

According to the Financial Times, the works will be auctioned in July at Christie's showrooms in London. The estimated value of the paintings is between £5 million and £8 million.

The publication reports that the family's ancestors, whose identity has not been disclosed, purchased these works by Rembrandt at a Christie's auction in 1824.

Van der Pluym, depicted in the painting, amassed his wealth as a plumber and was a notable figure in Leiden. As explained by the Financial Times, his son Dominic married the daughter of Rembrandt's uncle.

Rembrandt's auction record was set in 2009 when