A painting by Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens, missing for over 400 years, sold for 2.3 million euros ($2.7 million) at Osenat auction house in Versailles, France, on November 30, 2025.
The artwork, depicting the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, surfaced in a private townhouse in Paris. Auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat spotted it during a property visit and initially valued it at around 10,000 euros ($11,500), believing it came from one of Rubens’ workshops.
Experts authenticated the piece through scientific methods, including microscopic paint layer analysis revealing white, black, red, blue, and green pigments typical of Rubens’ skin tones. The Rubenianum in Antwerp and art historian Nils Büttner confirmed its provenance; it likely belonged to 19th-century painter William Bouguereau before staying in his family.
Unlike Rubens’ busier “Christ on the Cross,” this 1613 work shows Jesus alone on the cross post-crucifixion, uniquely depicting blood and water from his side wound. Osenat called it a “masterpiece” from Rubens’ peak period.
Cover Image: The painting Christ on the Cross by Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens sold for almost €2.3m at auction in Versailles, France, on Sunday after being found in a private mansion in Paris. Photograph: Poitout Florian/ABACA/Shutterstock
Athmaja Biju is the Editor at Abir Pothi. She is a Translator and Writer working on Visual Culture.
