A forgotten 17th-century portrait sat in a Maine attic for decades; estimated at $15,000, the mystery painting eventually sold for $1.41 million

A forgotten 17th-century portrait sat in a Maine attic for decades; estimated at $15,000, the mystery painting eventually sold for $1.41 million. The painting, known as Portrait of a Girl, was found during a routine visit to a private estate in Camden, Maine. The artwork had remained in the family for decades and was stored in an attic with other pieces. A label on the back of the frame identified the painting as a work by Dutch artist Rembrandt. However, the painting has not been authenticated as a Rembrandt. Its discovery has created interest because a confirmed Rembrandt painting could have a much higher value.

The artwork was eventually sold at auction on August 24 for $1.41 million. An unnamed European collector placed the winning bid after three phone bidders competed for the painting.

How the painting was found in a Maine attic?

Kaja Veilleux, an art appraiser and auctioneer who owns Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, found Portrait of a Girl during a standard “house call” to a private estate in Camden, Maine. Veilleux did not know what he would find before arriving at the house. He said that auctioneers often visit properties without knowing what objects may be inside.

The house contained several pieces that caught his attention. However, the painting was discovered toward the end of his visit. It was stored in the attic among a collection of family heirlooms and antiques. The painting had been “tucked away” rather than displayed as a work that visitors could easily see.

The auction house said the painting was well preserved for its age. Veilleux said the discovery was important because someone unfamiliar with old artwork might not have understood what the painting could represent.

What does Portrait of a Girl show?

Portrait of a Girl is painted on an oak panel. It is placed inside a hand-carved gold Dutch frame. The painting shows a teenager wearing a ruffled white collar and a cap. The clothing and painting method led to interest in its possible connection to 17th-century Dutch art.

A label on the back of the frame states that the painting was created by Rembrandt. The label also contains information about the painting's history. The artwork had been in private family ownership since the 1920s. According to reports, it was loaned to the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1970. The reason the painting later ended up in a Maine attic is not known. That gap in the artwork's history is one part of the mystery surrounding the Rembrandt painting.

Why the Rembrandt connection matters?

Rembrandt van Rijn was a Dutch artist whose paintings are held by museums and private collections around the world. Works connected to him can command high prices when their authorship is confirmed. In this case, the label is not enough to establish that Rembrandt painted Portrait of a Girl. Experts still need to study the artwork and its history.

The painting therefore went to auction without confirmed Rembrandt attribution. Before the auction, the artwork had an estimated value of about $15,000. That figure was based on its status as an old painting whose connection to Rembrandt had not been established. The auction result was far higher.

Three bidders competed by phone

The painting was offered at auction on August 24. Three phone bidders competed for the artwork. The bidding continued until an unnamed European collector secured Portrait of a Girl for $1.41 million.

Zebulon Casperson represented the winning European bidder. He said he had handled many phone bids but had not expected to help close a transaction worth more than $1 million. He described the result as a shared victory. The sale means that a painting that had spent years in an attic became a $1.41 million painting at auction.

A painting rarely found this way in the US

Veilleux said paintings of this type are not often discovered in the United States. According to him, such works are more commonly found in Europe because that is where many of them remained. In this case, the painting had reached the United States and eventually ended up in a Maine property. Its journey from private family ownership to an attic is still unclear.

The painting's loan to the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1970 provides one known point in its history. However, there is no clear explanation for what happened after that loan or how the artwork came to be stored in the attic. That missing information is important for experts studying its origin and ownership history.

The painting could be worth much more

The $1.41 million auction price may not represent the painting's possible final value if experts authenticate it as a Rembrandt. Mark Winter, an art authentication expert, told the New York Times that the person who bought the painting had already secured it at a low price compared with its potential value.

Winter estimated that the painting could be worth about $15 million if its Rembrandt attribution is established. That would make the difference between the pre-auction estimate and potential authenticated value substantial. However, the $15 million figure remains an estimate. It does not mean the painting has already been valued at that amount.

Authentication can involve examining the artwork's materials, painting technique, condition, history and provenance. Experts also compare the work with established paintings and other records connected to the artist. Until that process is completed, the artist's identity remains uncertain.

Why authentication is still pending?

The painting has not yet been authenticated as a Rembrandt. This is important because old paintings can sometimes carry labels or previous attributions that later prove incorrect. A label attached to a frame can provide a clue about an artwork's history, but it does not by itself establish authorship.

Winter's experience also shows why claims involving Rembrandt are treated with caution. For decades, his art authentication business has received inquiries from people who believe they own a Rembrandt. Many of those claims do not survive expert examination.

Winter noted that new paintings by Rembrandt are not discovered every day. The Maine attic discovery is therefore unusual, but its significance will depend on what experts determine about the painting.

What happens next for the mystery painting?

The next major step is authentication. Experts will need to determine whether Portrait of a Girl was actually painted by Rembrandt or whether the label represents an earlier attribution.

The painting's provenance could also help researchers. Its ownership by a private family since the 1920s and its reported loan to the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1970 provide records that may help establish its history. If authentication confirms Rembrandt's authorship, the artwork could enter a different level of the art market.

For now, the mystery painting remains an artwork with a possible connection to Rembrandt. It has already produced a $1.41 million auction result, despite beginning with an estimate of about $15,000.

The discovery also shows how an artwork can remain unnoticed for decades. In this case, a painting was placed among heirlooms and antiques in an attic before an auctioneer recognised that it deserved further examination. The identity of the artist remains the central question. Until experts complete the authentication, the painting's Rembrandt connection remains unconfirmed.