Painting French painter Antoine Watteau «surprise», which was considered lost for 160 years, July 8, was sold at Christie's auction in London for more than 12 million pounds

picture of the French painter Antoine Watteau (Jean-Antoine Watteau) «surprise», which was considered lost for 160 years, July 8, sold at Christie's auction in London.

Cloth bought for 12 million 361 thousand pounds (about 24.5 million dollars), significantly higher than the record price for the works of French masters.

Earlier, the most expensive painting Watteau felt cloth «storyteller», sold in 2000 for two and a half million pounds.

Artwork «Surprise» was written around 1718 and acquired by a French adviser to King Nicholas Eenennaam (1691-1724), who was the best friend of the artist and one of the most dedicated of his fans. It is anticipated that Watteau wrote «surprise» for Enena paired with another canvas, entitled «triad», which are now in the Museum of Art in Los Angeles.

Cloth «Surprise» disappeared from the horizon of art during the French Revolution, and the next mention of it dates from the year 1848.

piece of Watteau was accidentally found only in the last year in a private house in England, where the art experts were invited to assess the very different picture.

Source: www.rian.ru