Long-Lost Rubens Masterpiece Fetches $2.7 Million at Auction

A major painting by Peter Paul Rubens, missing for more than 400 years, sold at auction on Wednesday for $2.7 million. The final price far exceeded expert estimates. The artwork is a preparatory sketch, or "modello," for a larger altarpiece. Rubens created it in the early 17th century. It was last documented in a 17th-century inventory before disappearing from public view. Specialists rediscovered the painting in a private European collection. They confirmed it as an authentic work by the Flemish master through historical research and technical analysis. Peter Paul Rubens is a seminal figure of the Baroque period, known for his dynamic and emotive style. The sale highlights the strong market for historically significant Old Master works.