A decades-lost painting by the 17th-century Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn has been rediscovered and authenticated after a two-year examination by experts at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The work, titled “Vision of Zechariah in the Temple,” was painted in 1633 and was excluded from the artist’s catalogue of known works in 1960. The following year it was sold to a private collector and then lost to the public and scholars.
The painting came to the fore when its current owners presented it for analysis at the Rijksmuseum. According to the museum’s director, Taco Dibbits, the first moment he saw the work during the restoration was impressive.
“When I saw it in our studio, I was immediately struck by the extraordinary power it conveys. We knew we could be dealing with something special,” he said. Experts analyzed the pigments used, the layering technique and the wooden panel, comparing them with other early works by Rembrandt. According to the museum, the materials and style are fully consistent with the period when the painting was made. The signature on the work is original, while the analysis of the materials, stylistic similarities and high artistic quality support the conclusion that it is an authentic work by the Dutch master.
Dibbits stressed that the painting belongs to the peak of Rembrandt’s early career. “It’s a work of very high quality. You feel with this painting that he put his soul into it,” he said.
Rembrandt was only 27 years old when he painted this painting, which depicts the biblical moment when the high priest Zacharias is informed by the Archangel Gabriel that, despite his advanced age, he and his wife will become the parents of John the Baptist. According to the museum, the artist has given the narrative an innovative treatment. Instead of directly depicting the Archangel Gabriel, he only suggests his presence, departing from the traditions of the time and bringing a new visual interpretation.
The painting will be on display to the public starting Wednesday at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.