Metropolitan Museum of Art found themselves in a genuine Velasquez

[SergeiSK]

A stored since 1949 in New York's Metropolitan Museum Portrait of a Man, created in the workshop of Diego Velazquez, Spanish painter of XVII century, was a genuine work of Velazquez, reports The New York Times. For several centuries the picture much darker, and a series of failed restorations raschistok and hid the master's hand.
Portrait thoroughly restored in 1920, lacquered in 1953 and 1965-m. already in the 1960's leading expert on Velasquez said that the cloth can not belong to hand Wizard. In 1979, the museum agreed with this point of view. Revise the origin of the work decided to Keith Christiansen, the newly appointed head of the department of European painting in the museum. At his request, the new clearing and conservation of the canvas engaged Michael Gallagher, head of the restoration of the museum. Last and a number of leading experts are convinced now that it is - a genuine work of Velazquez.
Gallagher found that the portrait painted from nature, but was not completed - probably this sketch. In addition, after clearing it turned out that posing for a portrait of a man can be seen on the famous painting by Velazquez 'Surrender of Breda "(he is on the right side of the canvas in a gray hat with white plume). Both works were written around the same time - around 1634 or 1635, when the artist was about 35 years. Who wrote Velasquez on both pictures is unknown, but there is an assumption that this may be a self-portrait. Known self-portrait by Velazquez in the painting "Las Meninas", but by the time of writing this canvas the artist was much older: he was about 57 years.
It is noteworthy that the collector Jules Bach, bequeathed "Portrait of a Man" Metropolitan Museum, bought this painting is like a self-portrait by Velazquez. In 1926, he paid for the canvas over a million dollars (somewhere 13 million in today's money). The picture was sold to the famous Bach at the beginning of the century antiquary Joseph Dyuvin, which, in turn, purchased it from the King of Hanover, George V. Before that it belonged to an illegitimate son of George II, King of England. This "royal" background fabric itself can be an indication of its value.
Current market price of the picture should be about 40 million dollars.
(Lenta.ru)