One of three Rembrandt self-portraits held by a private individual was auctioned for over £ 14million on Tuesday at Sotheby's in London. The work was estimated between 12 and 16 million pounds (13 and 18 million euros). After 6 minutes of auction, it finally left for 14.5 million pounds (16 million euros).
A record for a self-portrait by Rembrandt
This is a record for a self-portrait of Rembrandt sold at auction, dethroning a previous record of 6.9 million pounds for a self-portrait of the artist sold in 2003, Sotheby's said in a statement.
The 15 cm by 20 cm painting, signed and dated 1632 by the great Flemish master, represents him at the age of 26 in ceremonial dress, dressed in black with a felt hat and a large white lace ruff . The painting was not authenticated until 1996, after an analysis showed that it had been made on the same oak wood as the support of a portrait made by Rembrandt of his friend Maurits Huygens.
A self-portrait to show off in its best light
According to George Gordon of Sotheby's, the formal attire, unusual among the artist's dozens of self-portraits, suggests that he may have wanted to show himself in his best light as he courted the one who would become his muse and his wife, Saskia van Uylenburgh, in order to convince his parents that he was a good match.
Produced just after moving to Amsterdam, the painting could also serve as a calling card and show potential clients the painter's flourishing situation. According to George Gordon, it was completed in a very short time, as the background had not yet finished drying when the artist put his signature.
500 pieces put up for sale on a single evening
With a calendar turned upside down by the pandemic of the new coronavirus, Sotheby's has decided to hold a single evening sale bringing together more than 500 pieces from all eras, from old masters to contemporary ones.
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