French Gallery Shows Off ‘New’ Rembrandt at Fine Art Fair

Visitors to the booth of Galerie Talabardon & Gautier at the TEFAF fine art fair look at a newly discovered painting by Dutch master Rembrandt titled The Unconscious Patient (Sense of Smell) dated at around 1624-25, oil on panel 21.6x17.8 cm, in Maastricht, southern Netherlands, Thursday, March 10, 2016. AP Photo/Mike Corder

MAASTRICHT, Netherlands—The painting was labeled as the work of an unknown artist from Europe’s “Continental School,” dated somewhere in the 19th century. It had a presale estimate of $500–$800 when it went to auction in New Jersey last year.

French art dealer Bertrand Gautier thought the small oil-on-panel painting of three figures was older. And he thought he knew exactly who had painted it: Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn.

In this image released on Thursday, March 10, 2016, by Galerie Talabardon & Gautier, the newly discovered painting by Dutch master Rembrandt titled "The Unconscious Patient (Sense of Smell)" dated at around 1624-25, oil on panel 21.6x17.8 cm, is seen. Galerie Talabardon & Gautier via AP