Whether it is an ashtray made by Yoshitomo Nara or a ceramic made by Picasso, such treasures are yet to be found. Barcelona shopping is a legend, and one Barcelona shopper’s find is exceptional. Today, let me introduce you to the painting that cost €1 and recently turned into an art piece for $13 million.
The Discovery of a Hidden Degas: From Thrift Store to Multi-Million Dollar Masterpiece
Recently, in 2021, a careful buyer availed a pastel work of art described as a fake by various online auction sites. However, the buyer was sure it got hold of an original one and bought it for €1 only (around 1,000 USD). However, they did not know that their dormant thrift store item would soon transform into a multi-million artwork.
Authenticating a Lost Treasure: Michel Schulman’s Expert Verification
Enter Michel Schulman, a renowned Degas expert who’s helped authenticate 1,750 works by the French Impressionists. With an exhaustive analysis of pigments, X-rays, and photographs, Schulman’s team verified the drawing as Degas’ long-lost Éloge du maquillage (In praise of cosmetics). This brothel scene, created in 1876, had been missing for decades, and its rediscovery sent shockwaves through the art world.
The Journey of Degas’ Drawing: A Rich History and Its Market Value
Step forward Michel Schulman, a leading Degas specialist, has participated in ‘authenticating’ 1,750 of the artist’s works as an Impressionist. Schulman et al. employed a bloody difficult analysis of the pigments, the X-ray photos, and pictures taken by his team to confirm the authenticity of the lost work of Degas entitled Éloge du maquillage (In praise of cosmetics). This brothel scene named for Felice’s brother-in-law was last seen in public in 1876, and its reappearance electrified the art world.
A Cinderella Story: The Transformative Power of Art in Unexpected Places
Today, specialists predict that the globe might encounter the drawing at auction houses which can cost as much as $13 million USD. This $3 thrift store find has now turned into an art piece; this is the best testimony of art; the thrill of buying a simple rag can make it an artistic piece!
The world’s basements are real or as authentic as the real world can be when it throws art and thrift stores together. This piece is a true rags-to-riches story – the tale of a Degas painting that grew to be worth millions of dollars. So, the next time you browse your local thrift store, remember: You may never tell what you might stumble on.
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