THOMASTON, Maine (WMTW) – A rare 17th-century painting by the famous painter Rembrandt will soon go to its new home after being sold for more than $1 million.
The highly sought-after painting was found in a house in Maine.
“Usually, they’re found in Europe because that’s where most of them were,” Art appraiser Kaja Veilleux said. “But this one made its way to America and in a farmhouse. And there it is. We found it.”
It was supposed to be a routine house call for Veilleux, the owner and founder of Thomaston Place Auction Galleries. However, it wasn’t until nearly the end of his visit at a house in Camden that he noticed a painting with potential value.
The piece, called “Portrait of a Girl,” has been around for hundreds of years and was on loan to the Philadelphia Museum of Art for a 1970 exhibition before ending up in Maine.
“Not many people paint like Rembrandt, for one thing,” Veilleux said. “And one of the trademarks of the Rembrandt paintings and the Dutch masters is this, what I call a ribbon candy collar? It’s all like this.”
Nine people bid on the “Portrait of a Girl.”
The hammer fell at $1.125 million, and the new owner also had to shell out another 20% buyer’s premium.
Veilleux said he usually sells an item in 35 seconds, but this time it took roughly 10 minutes.
“A painting like this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get it,” he said. “So, once it started rolling, there was no end in sight. It could bring anything.”
It’s the first time Veilleux has auctioned off a piece for more than $1 million.
While a new milestone has been achieved, he said appraising is about more than the price tags.
“To me, it’s about protecting and bringing this stuff to light, so it’s cared for and preserved,” Veilleux said. “It’s not about the money, not at this point in my career. I’ve been doing this for so long. It’s all about saving the stuff”
The historical painting will soon leave the U.S. for its new home in Europe.
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