Caravaggio’s masterpiece that was rediscovered in an attic could be set to fetch at least $171 million at an auction. It’s about painting identified as “Judith and Holofernes” which is believed to have been made in 1607.
The story of finding the painting in an attic is truly amazing. One very lucky man in
He called his friend French auctioneer Marc Labarbe and told about his discovery. After a little dusting off with some cotton, Labarbe sent a photo of the painting to the Paris-based art appraiser Eric Turquin to verify the finding. The painting, which stands 5 feet tall and 6 feet wide, turned out to be a lost work by Italian master Caravaggio and depicts a scene from the Book of Judith, from Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox versions of the Old Testament, in which Judith, in war-torn Bethulia, seduces an enemy general in his tent before beheading him.
“This is the greatest painting I’ve ever found,” said Turquin. “It’s very violent. It’s almost unbearable. But he’s an artist who embodies the text – he makes the text living.”
At a press conference on Thursday, it was announced that Labarbe will auction the painting on June 27. The work will be auctioned in Toulouse, France — the same city where it was discovered — and is expected to sell for up to €150 million ($171 million).
