The owners forgot, the painting sold for $ 9 million
A painting covered in the dust of oblivion, passed down from generation to generation by a French family, has recently been sold at auction for $ 9 million, after it was discovered that its author was the famous painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard. "Philosophy while reading" is the name of the painting that caught the eye of specialist Antoine Petit, who was called to make an assessment on a matter of inheritance.
Petit says she saw the dusty painting, measuring 45.8 by 57 centimeters, and the first thing that came to her mind was she looked really beautiful. But after examining it closely, he noticed the word "Fragonard" written on the back of the canvas.
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Unaware of its value, the owner gave it to the expert, who sent it to a specialized company for such assessments. It was confirmed that the work was authentic.
"Despite the distortion of time, the power of Fragonard's brush is still easily discernible," said company representatives. Jean-Honoré Fragonard lived from 1732 to 1806 and is considered one of the most emblematic painters of the 18th century.