CNN reports that the new attribution for this work as a Rembrandt has boosted its insurance value by $7m:
“Tobias and his Wife” (1659), an oil painting on wood panel, was previously attributed to a pupil of Rembrandt’s called Barent Fabricius. Since its change in status, the painting, which depicts a man and his wife sitting down near an open hearth, has increased in insurance value from $4 million (€3 million) to $11 million (€8 million).
The story goes on to quote Paul Raison of Christie’s on why the matter of who painted the work isn’t clear from the historical record:
“Today, we’re very obsessed by who actually painted a picture and the whole cult of the individual and uniqueness and so forth,” said Raison. He added that in the 17th century people were happy to own a work that bore the stamp of the artist’s workshop. Now it’s a different matter.
Rembrandt Discovery Sparks Hopes, Doubts as Value Soars by $7m (CNN.com)
