In the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, a painting that had been considered the work of an unknown artist for many years has now been recognized as a piece by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. As reported by Kazinform citing DW, this discovery was made possible through modern scanning methods previously used in the restoration of another famous masterpiece by Rembrandt — "The Night Watch" — as well as an analysis of artistic style.
The painting, created in 1633, depicts a biblical scene in which the priest Zechariah, the future father of John the Baptist, sees the archangel Gabriel in the temple. Although Gabriel himself is not present in the canvas, his presence is symbolized by the light visible in the upper right corner of the painting.
The canvas was given to the museum on a long-term lease by a private collector, and visitors will be able to see it starting March 4, 2024. Interestingly, this work was previously exhibited at a major Rembrandt exhibition at the Amsterdam City Museum in 1898, but was removed from the list of his works in 1960. A year later, the painting was purchased by a private collector, which hindered further study for the next 60 years. However, a recent inquiry from the owner to the Rijksmuseum opened up the possibility for detailed analysis.
