Great Discoveries: 17th-Century Painting Found in Barn, Sells for Over $7 Million

Last month, auction house Sotheby’s sold a painting from 17th-century Dutch painter Frans Post for $7.37 million, according to the Robb Report. The sale comes after the painting, View of Olinda, Brazil, with Ruins of the Jesuit Church, was recovered from a barn attic.

George Wachter, chairman and co-worldwide head of Old Master paintings at Sotheby’s, said the painting may have been in a barn for one hundred years. When the painting was discovered, it was “filthy, black, (and) dirty,” Wachter noted. Wachter also indicated that people could “hardly see” the image.

Regardless, Wachter believed that the painting may have had value. Together, Wachter, and Jordan and Thomas A. Saunders III, the owners of the painting, sought help from conservator Nancy Krieg to restore the piece.

Initially, Krieg “opened a tiny window” in the sky of the landscape of the painting, Wachter said. Over time, the window turned into “blue and white, and it was just incredible,” Wachter pointed out.

David Pollack, senior vice president and head of Old Master paintings at Sotheby’s, called the piece “one of (Post’s) greatest.”

Pollack said the painting was signed by Post and dated 1666. Due to its quality and place in art history, Sotheby’s valued it between $6 and $8 million.

“(Post) was painting for a very open, ready market,” Pollack said. “To have something on this scale certainly ranks it in the top tier, no doubt.”

Dan Kobialka is a self-employed content writer and editor with about a decade of experience. He produces content across a wide range of industries, including antiques, insurance, and real estate. To learn more about Dan, please visit his website. 

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