Lost Rembrandt Authenticated After 65 Years
A painting dismissed as a copy for decades has been confirmed as a genuine Rembrandt by the Rijksmuseum. 'Vision of Zacharias in the Temple' went unseen for 65 years before art historians made the authentication, calling it a multi-million-dollar find. The Dutch Golden Age masterpiece is now drawing global attention from museum-goers and art historians alike.
The painting was once accepted as a genuine Rembrandt and was even displayed at a major exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum in 1898. However, in 1960, it was excluded from the artist's official list of works and was purchased by a private collector a year later, removing it from public view. The current owner, who inherited the painting, initiated the re-examination by sending a digital photograph to the Rijksmuseum via email to ask for an opinion. This led to a two-year-long meticulous investigation to determine its authenticity. Researchers used advanced techniques, some of which were also employed in the restoration of Rembrandt's "The Night Watch," to verify the piece. Dendrochronological testing confirmed the oak panel dates to the correct period, and analysis showed the pigments and paint layering were consistent with Rembrandt's other works from the 1630s. Rembrandt created the piece in 1633 at the age of 27, shortly after moving from Leiden to Amsterdam. The painting depicts the biblical high priest Zacharias being informed by the Archangel Gabriel that he will have a son, John the Baptist. In an innovative departure from tradition, Rembrandt chose not to depict the Archangel Gabriel physically. Instead, he represented the angel's divine presence as a dramatic beam of light entering from the upper right corner, a technique noted for its use of thick paint, or impasto. The authentication adds to Rembrandt's known catalog of paintings, which now numbers around 350 works. The artwork is now on long-term loan to the Rijksmuseum from its anonymous owner and will be available for public viewing.
