A long-lost Rembrandt painting has been rediscovered and authenticated after decades out of public view.
The 1633 work, Vision of Zacharias in the Temple, was removed from the Dutch master’s official catalogue in 1960 and vanished after being sold to a private collector the following year.
It resurfaced when its owners submitted it for testing at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, which conducted a two-year examination.
«When I saw it in our studio during restoration, I was immediately struck by the incredible power it has,» said Rijksmuseum director Taco Dibbits.
He noted the museum often receives queries about inherited or purchased paintings, but in this case, the piece stood out.
The museum confirmed its authenticity through detailed analysis of the paint, techniques, layer build-up, and the original signature. The wooden panel was also dated to the correct period.
«Materials analysis, stylistic and thematic similarities, alterations made by Rembrandt, and the overall quality of the painting all support the conclusion that this is a genuine work,» the gallery stated.
The background of the painting
The painting represents Rembrandt at the peak of his early career.
Dibbits added, «It’s very high quality. You can sense he dedicated his soul to it.»
The artwork will go on public display from Wednesday. Its market value is unknown, but comparable Rembrandt works have sold for tens of millions of pounds, including a self-portrait for £12.6 mln in 2020 and another rediscovered painting for £11 mln in 2023.
Created when Rembrandt was 27, the painting depicts the biblical moment in which the priest Zacharias learns from the Archangel Gabriel that he and his wife will have a son, John the Baptist. The artist innovatively suggested Gabriel’s presence without showing him directly, departing from traditional representations of the story.
At the time, Rembrandt primarily focused on portraits, making this history painting a rare example of his early exploration of biblical scenes.
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