Once Located In Agricultural Warehouse, Langka Painting Anthony Van Dyck Laku Rp47 BILLION: The Owner Buys Rp9 Million

JAKARTA - Once sitting in an agricultural warehouse, Anthony van Dyck's rediscovered painting has sold more than US$3 million (Rp45,564,000,000) at auctions.

It was part of a Flemish master's work entitled 'St Jerome'. The last painting is currently held by the Boijmans van Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam, Netherlands

The painting, which depicts an elderly naked man sitting on the bench, is unique for several reasons, according to the Sothebys list.

It's one of only two great works Van Dyck made of a life model. It's likely painted between 1615 and 1618, according to Sotheby's, while Van Dyck is a young artist who works with Peter Paul Rubens in Antwerp.

The oil paint painting also has an unexpected source. The work was recently identified as Van Dyck's work, Sotheby's said in a statement shared with CNN.

The painting was discovered in the late 20th century in an agricultural warehouse in Kinderhook, New York, United States.

"The person who found it, Albert B. Roberts, was a passionate'missing' collector of'missing' items, describing his collection as 'an orphanage for the lost artwork that has been ignored,'" the auction house said, citing CNN January 29.

Roberts bought the abandoned painting for just US$600 (Rp9,112,800), according to Sotheby's. But shortly thereafter, art historian Susan J. Barnes published an article, in which she recognized the work as Van Dyck's work which was "very well preserved".

The painting then sold for US$3.1 million or around Rp.47,082,800,000.

It was offered to Sotheby's by Roberts. And part of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to Albert B. Roberts Foundation Inc, which provides financial support to artists and other charities, according to the auction house.

It is known, this was sold as part of Sothebys' "President Lukisan Part I" sale last month, which also includes the works of Agnolo Bronzino, Titian and Melchior de Hondecoeter.