For the portrait, a value of $3,100 was set by the auction house because they thought they had a knockoff of a 17th century Rembrandt. Buying it for 1,500 times more than that was a British buyer who apparently knew what he was doing.
In an English auction house the Rembrandt Laughing which experts have confirmed was a self portrait done by the Dutch master, depicted with his head tilted back in easygoing laughter, was bought for a bargain price of four and a half million.
A piece like this one could have easily raked in $30 to $40 million according to a collector who specializes in Dutch and Flemish masters and for him the price given at the auction was rather disappointing.
An art expert from Sotheby's, declined to put a new value on the painting. Considering the works of Rembrandt they only come on the market once every few years and so this sale is such a rare opportunity.
This portrait was made by Rembrandt around 1628 and during this time he was in his early 20s in his hometown of Leiden. His tools included a mirror and his face and he played with different expressions at a time when he was already earning his reputation as an artist.
You could say that it has an unbelievable presence. Natural was the light as well as the laughter.
More than 100 years was how long the painting has been in the hands of an English family. Some had assumed it to be by one of Rembrandt's students or a Rembrandt imitator.
A number of poor photographs that showed little of the painting's luminosity or depth are to blame for the low evaluation given by the auction house.
A 23 page analysis was made and in it showed how Rembrandt could have created the little work of art as it considered the materials, contour, brush stroke, and monogram that points to him.
It seems possible that the auction's winner was familiar with the rare style used by the artist for about a year and he knew that the painting was a genuine Rembrandt from the monogram RHL.
For the monogram, it meant Rembrandt Harmenszoon of Leiden. The signature HL was recorded by the auction house for its assessment.
Considering the brush stroke used by Rembrandt and how his initials were always painted onto the background these serve to be more compelling proof.
Experts also were confused by the shape of the laughing Rembrandt's body. There was a woolly blanket for clothing, the metal armor and glossy shirt appear amorphous, it lay in lumpy folds, and there was limited definition of the anatomy below.
But there is a distinct contour which he also used in his later works. You could associate a certain autonomy with the contour and it has been mentioned that Rembrandt may have been trying out this particular method of painting the body.
When it comes to the size and type, the thin copper plate on which the piece is painted matches the other Rembrandt paintings. Considering this painting, it is similar to other works by Rembrandt as shown by the xrays because of the second painting underneath.
Before 1800 no one knew where the painting had been and during this time a Flemish engraver did not realize that the face in the picture was Rembrandt's when he made a reproductive print and he attributed the original to the Dutch painter Frans Hals.
What followed was silence and then the painting was again lost.
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