Rubens’ work uncovered in Russia

MOSCOW - Agence France-Presse

Russian art experts have uncovered what is believed to be an original Rubens painting in a small-town museum in the Urals mountains region, its director said Nov. 16.

The painting called “Mary Magdalene in mourning with her sister Martha” was long assumed to be a copy, but restoration revealed it to be “undoubtedly” an original by the 17th century Flemish painter, museum director Valery Karpov told AFP.

It was unveiled Nov. 15 in the museum in the small town of Irbit around 200 kilometers from the nearest big city of Yekaterinburg.

The head of painting restoration from the Hermitage museum in Saint Petersburg, Viktor Korobov, examined the painting on Thursday, and said it was “undoubtedly an original, created with the participation of Rubens’ pupils,” Karpov said.

The painting is known to have been owned by a teacher at a military medical academy at the end of the 19th century.

Rubens would often paint several versions of paintings, up to eight sometimes, and would use his pupils to help him, among them Anthony Van Dyck, the future court painter.

The painting will now undergo further testing including analysis of the canvas and the undercoat.