A RARE 17th Century painting has been discovered behind the wall of Oscar de la Renta’s Paris office.
The oil painting is believed to have been hidden there from Nazi looters in World War Two, art experts believe.
The five-metre-long oil painting, which has been described as exceptional, was found by workers converting the office into a luxury boutique for Oscar de la Renta, reported The Times.
The luxurious fashion brand was created by the Dominican designer who died in 2014.
Benoît Janson, a Parisian art restorer whose Atelier Nouvelle Tendance studio is cleaning the painting said: “It is a very fine painting, of very beautiful aesthetic quality.
“It was totally unexpected to find it there in the most banal of offices. We are discovering very exceptional things as we restore it.”
Who is Arnould de Vuez?
Arnould de Vuez is a French painter of Flemish descent.
He was born in Saint-Omer, France in 1644 and died in 1720 at the age of 76.
Arnould left his birthplace for Paris to perfect his painting technique in the studio of Luc, a Recollects monk.
He then moved to live with his uncle, a canon at Venice then Rome, where he won first prize for drawing.
Arnould received commissions from religious institutions in Lille.
His style was strongly influenced by the Italian Renaissance and the sense of colour in Flemish artists.
The “forgotten” painting was created during the reign of King Louis XIV in 1674, and the painter is Arnould de Vuez.
RARE DISCOVERY
The painting is believed to have been part of four major works the artist has produced to decorate the Château de Bercy, a district that is now considered to be a part of Paris.
The painting illustrates the Marquis of Nointel, Louis XIV’s ambassador to the Ottoman empire, riding to Jerusalem.
Janson explained: “The work was very dark and very dirty. It’s very rare to find a painting in this state.”
It was totally unexpected to find it there in the most banal of offices. We are discovering very exceptional things as we restore it.
Benoît Janson, a Parisian art restorer
Jeang Kim, a designer, told the New York Times that when the canvas was discovered: “Everyone freaked out. It was like finding a mummy.
“I turned off my phone immediately and just looked at it. Nothing like this had ever happened in my work before.”
The reason for this painting being hidden in the 19th-century office block near the Champs Élysées is still unclear.
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Some people believe the painting was placed there to escape the Nazis, who took about 650,000 artworks from France during the occupation, mostly from Jewish families.
Alex Bolen, the chief executive of Oscar de la Renta, hoped to open his boutique for Paris Fashion Week this week but had to delay because Janson will not finish restoring the painting until late Spring.
Bolen has been given permission by the building owners to keep the canvas during his time working for the brand as long as he pays for the painting’s restoration.
https://textbacklinkexchanges.com/rare-17th-century-oil-painting-found-behind-wall-of-oscar-de-la-rentas-paris-office-was-hidden-from-nazi-looters-in-world-war-two/
News Photo Rare 17th Century oil painting found behind wall of Oscar de la Renta’s Paris office ‘was hidden from Nazi looters in World War Two’
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