Experts reclassify painting as real Rembrandt

[December 02, 2011]  AMSTERDAM (AP) -- The leading authority on Rembrandt says a painting long thought to have been made by one of his students is actually from the hand of the Dutch master himself.

Ernst van de Wetering of the Rembrandt Research Project cites new scans of the painting "Old Man with Beard," in addition to stylistic analysis and circumstantial evidence for the conclusion. He dates the painting to 1630, when Rembrandt would have been 24 years old and his reputation was rapidly growing.

The scans revealed an uncompleted self-portrait by Rembrandt underneath. A different version of "Old Man" exists and is marked as a student's copy.

The painting belongs to an unidentified private collector. It will go on display next year at the Rembrandt House Museum in Amsterdam, where the findings were announced Friday.

[Associated Press]

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