For $3 million, a rare Van Dyck painting is sold. Originally purchased by the owner for $600

By Macy Sagris, News Reporter, The Pawprint

An Anthony van Dyck painting that was recovered after being left in a farm shed has recently sold for over $3 million at auction. The painting, which shows an older man fully nude sitting on a stool, is unique for a number of reasons. It’s one of just two large studies that Van Dyck built using real models. According to Sotheby’s, it was probably created between 1615 and 1618, when Van Dyck was a young artist. The oil painting also comes from an unexpected source. According to a statement sent to CNN by Sotheby’s, the study was only recently recognized as a Van Dyck creation. The object was found in a shed in Kinderhook, New York, in the late 20th century. Sotheby’s reports that Roberts paid only $600 for the abandoned picture. But soon after, art historian Susan J. Barnes wrote an essay and recognized the object as a “remarkably well maintained” Van Dyck piece. The painting was just sold for over 3 million us dollars.