Lesley Smitheringale Fine Art

Queen dusts off $250m in spring clean

FOR most of us, a spring clean will yield nothing more valuable than the handful of loose change that slipped down the back of the sofa.

But in the royal household, things are a little different.

When the Queen decided to dust off an old painting for an exhibition it was to lead to a discovery that would shake the art world. She has unearthed not just one but two Old Masters by the Baroque painter Caravaggio, so rare that Sotheby’s was unable to put a price on them.

There are fewer than 50 Caravaggios in existence, all in either national or private collections, and one hasn’t come on to the open market in living memory. When pressed, the closest comparison Sotheby’s could make was a Rubens sold in 2002 for $120 million, making the Queen’s clearout potentially worth $250 million.

“The paintings are simply breathtaking and the significance of their provenance cannot be overstated,” said Lucy Whitaker, curator of the Royal Collection, as they went on display at Buckingham Palace yesterday.

Both paintings are part of the Royal Collection, which is held by the Queen on behalf of the nation. Despite their enormous value, she is not allowed to sell them.

The works, The Calling of Saints Peter and Andrew, and Boy Peeling Fruit, painted between 1592 and 1604, were first owned by Charles 1.

Original article at: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,21477844-2,00.html?from=public_rss