One French family recently discovered that an item they had in their home for years had a significant value.
The family, like many others, had something that had sentimental value to them. However, what they thought was just an old painting that had been in their family for generations turned out to be a valuable piece of art history. The painting was by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, titled “The Village Lawyer” and sold for $845,000 at a Paris auction in March 2023.
The family had an auction appraiser come to their home, but they were not expecting to find anything of significant value. However, the expert noticed a partially visible painting in a small television room that was not well lit. The painting was behind the door, and the appraiser identified it as an authentic work of art by Pieter Brueghel the Younger.
The family was surprised to learn that they had an original piece of art in their possession. They had been familiar with the artist, but they had no idea that they owned an authentic piece. They had even joked about the painting, referring to it as “The Brueghel,” but thinking it was a fake. The story of how the painting came into their family’s possession had been lost to time.
According to The Art Newspaper, Pieter Brueghel the Younger would often copy his father’s work, but they are not sure if this painting is a reproduction of something done by Pieter Brueghel the Elder. The painting was created between 1615 and 1617 and depicts a rural legal office scene on a 44 by 72.4-inch canvas. The anonymous buyer from Switzerland who purchased the painting at auction now owns a piece of art history that had been hidden in a family’s home for years.
In conclusion, this story is a reminder that there may be valuable items hidden in our homes, and we may not even know it. This family had no idea that they had an authentic piece of art, but it turned out to be worth a significant amount of money. The story also highlights the importance of having experts appraise items in our homes to identify their value accurately. It is fascinating to think about what other valuable items might be hidden in our homes and what stories they might tell.
