Lost Rubens Masterpiece Resurfaces in Paris
Hidden for centuries in a Paris townhouse, the rediscovered painting of Christ on the Cross has been authenticated and sold for $2.7 million in Versailles.
A haunting oil painting by the Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens, Christ on the Cross, was believed irretrievably lost, having gone missing for nearly four centuries. The work depicts an obviously lifeless Christ on the cross, a rare treatment of the Crucifixion in Rubens’ oeuvre. This fall, that long-missing work of art reappeared in a Paris townhouse. On November 30, 2025, it sold for $2.7 million at auction in Versailles.
The rediscovered piece, titled Christ on the Cross, measures just under three feet tall. It is rendered with Rubens’ distinct command of light and texture. Unlike his more theatrical religious compositions, such as Christ on the Cross with Mary, Mary Magdalene, and St John, this painting focuses solely on the crucifixion after the crowds have dispersed, a profoundly human portrayal of Christ after the Agony.
According to art expert Eric Turquin, the work disappeared in the early 1600s, shortly after Rubens completed it. During the auction, Turquin explained to bidders that scholars believe the painting somehow came into the possession of the 19th-century French classical painter William Bouguereau, where it was ultimately passed it down through his family. Centuries later, it resurfaced, still in the possession of the Bouguereau descendants, tucked away in the Paris townhouse where it was found.
Experts at the Antwerp-based research center Corpus Rubenianum confirmed the artwork's authenticity, as did Osenat Auction House, which oversaw the sale. The painting's legitimacy was confirmed through scientific analysis, including microscopic examination of its layers. The study showed the use of white, black, and red pigments typical for rendering skin tones, along with additional blue and green pigments, an identifying trait of Rubens’ technique when painting human skin.
The reappearance of this painting marks one of the most significant Rubens discoveries in decades, offering scholars a renewed glimpse into the evolution of his devotional works from that period. Osenat called it “a once-in-a-lifetime rediscovery of a devotional masterpiece.” For collectors and art historians alike, it’s a powerful reminder that sometimes things lost to time can reappear when least expected.
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