ALBAWABA - Two previously unknown and exceptional paintings by the Dutch artist Rembrandt have been found in a private collection in the United Kingdom.
The two small-sized portraits, measuring no more than 8 inches in height, are expected to fetch between £5 and £8 million ($6.25 million to $10 million) at a public auction.
Dated and signed in 1635, the paintings depict an elderly couple who were relatives of the Dutch artist through marriage. The wealthy plumber Jan Williamsz van der Pluym and his wife, Jabetje Carls, belonged to a prominent family in the Dutch city of Leiden. Their son, Dominicus van der Pluym, was married to Cornelia van Zuytbrouck, a cousin of Rembrandt. The couple had one child, Carel van der Pluym, who is believed to have trained with Rembrandt and was mentioned by the artist in his will alongside his heir, Titus.
The discovery of these paintings took place two years ago and immediately garnered significant interest. According to Henry Pettifer, International Head of Important Paintings at Christie's, "The exceptional aspect is that these two paintings were completely unknown, they have never appeared in any of the literature on Rembrandt in the 19th or 20th century, so they are completely unknown."
The paintings will be exhibited in New York and Amsterdam next month before returning to London for a pre-sale exhibition and auction on July 6.
