A Dubious Find: Amateur Art Expert Stumbles Upon Double Rubens at Auction
In a stunning case of serendipity, Belgian art dealer Klaas Muller has managed to acquire not one, but two studies by renowned Flemish baroque master Peter Paul Rubens in a single painting. The unusual acquisition was made three years ago when Muller bought the composite work at an online auction for under €100,000.
Initially, the painting was mistakenly attributed to an anonymous master of the "Flemish school." It wasn't until art historian Ben van Beneden examined the piece several months later that Muller realized he had stumbled upon a genuine Rubens study. Van Beneden described the craftsmanship as outstanding and praised the artwork's lifelike quality.
Rubens frequently used various physiognomies in his paintings, often creating prototypes for larger works. Muller may have unknowingly discovered one of these lost studies. The artist is believed to have reused old paper from an earlier painting and drew over it, rather than attempting a complex optical illusion like the duck-rabbit.
The study features two distinct images: a bearded old man gazing downward, and a young woman peeking out from behind his beard. Both figures are characteristic of Rubens' works, with the old man appearing in several notable paintings and the woman being a rare sighting.
Muller plans to display the painting at the Brafa art fair in Brussels on January 25th. Even as an amateur, he is eager for the artwork to receive widespread recognition and hopes it will be loaned to a museum for an extended period.
In a stunning case of serendipity, Belgian art dealer Klaas Muller has managed to acquire not one, but two studies by renowned Flemish baroque master Peter Paul Rubens in a single painting. The unusual acquisition was made three years ago when Muller bought the composite work at an online auction for under €100,000.
Initially, the painting was mistakenly attributed to an anonymous master of the "Flemish school." It wasn't until art historian Ben van Beneden examined the piece several months later that Muller realized he had stumbled upon a genuine Rubens study. Van Beneden described the craftsmanship as outstanding and praised the artwork's lifelike quality.
Rubens frequently used various physiognomies in his paintings, often creating prototypes for larger works. Muller may have unknowingly discovered one of these lost studies. The artist is believed to have reused old paper from an earlier painting and drew over it, rather than attempting a complex optical illusion like the duck-rabbit.
The study features two distinct images: a bearded old man gazing downward, and a young woman peeking out from behind his beard. Both figures are characteristic of Rubens' works, with the old man appearing in several notable paintings and the woman being a rare sighting.
Muller plans to display the painting at the Brafa art fair in Brussels on January 25th. Even as an amateur, he is eager for the artwork to receive widespread recognition and hopes it will be loaned to a museum for an extended period.
this is wild - i mean, who even looks at an auction painting like that? or just happens to buy it under €100k 
but seriously, it's crazy that one guy found a real deal Rubens study 
and now it's gonna be all over the art scene. museum loans are always so interesting... will they display it for a long time or just give people a sneak peek?
I'm literally freaking out right now! Like, can you believe this?! 
A study by Rubens in one painting?! It's like finding a needle in a haystack, but someone actually stumbled upon a major art treasure! 
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Klaas Muller is literally a hero for noticing that composite work and getting it appraised by Ben van Beneden. That guy must be on point with his art knowledge! 
And the fact that there are only two versions of this study makes it super rare and valuable. I mean, under €100k?! That's like a drop in the bucket for something as iconic as Rubens! 
He just got lucky, but that's always cool. I'm all for him getting his artwork loaned to a museum – it'll be amazing to see it up close in person. January 25th can't come soon enough... 
The fact that it was mistaken for some anonymous Flemish master and only got verified by some art historian later is just crazy.
) that he was able to spot something special in the first place.
I'm like totally stoked about this discovery! 
Two Rubens studies in one painting? 
That's some crazy luck, right? 
Muller's not complaining either, buying it for under €100k was a steal 
Rubens' use of physiognomies is genius 
, it's no wonder he's considered one of the masters. Can't wait to see this painting in person at Brafa, hope it gets the recognition it deserves 
. Now, I'm not saying he's some kind of expert or anything (although, let's be real, he must be pretty knowledgeable about Rubens' style), but still, this guy's got skills!
I wonder if the art historian Ben van Beneden is just trying to give himself a sense of accomplishment with that "outstanding craftsmanship" comment 
.
and big props to ben van Beneden for spotting that rubens study 
it's wild that muller bought this painting for under €100k - i mean, if you're gonna find a piece by one of history's greatest artists, you gotta be ready for it 
i mean, have you seen those online auctions? they're like treasure troves of art history just waiting to be snatched up by someone who knows their stuff. Muller's lucky break is actually pretty impressive considering he got the painting for €100k. that's like, a fraction of what it's worth now. I'm sure he's not complaining or anything 
.