Rembrandt drawing found in an attic in Scotland

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: A drawing of a blind beggar by renowned artist Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn has been found in an attic in Soctland by the owner of the house. The surprised owner had no idea that the sketch was lying in his attic. He then contacted Christie`s and informed them about his discovery. Experts have confirmed that the sketch is by the 17th-century Dutch master. "We always dream of finding new drawings by the great artists, but it happens very rarely nowadays," said Benjamin Peronnet, head of old master drawings at Christie`s to The Guardian. "That made this discovery all the more exciting." The sketch, ‘A Blind Beggar With a Boy and a Dog’ is a black chalk study measuring 13cm by 8.5cm (about 5in by 3.3in). It does not relate to a known painting but the composition is echoed in a drawing in the Kupferstichkabinett, the vast prints and drawings collection in Berlin`s state museum. "When we began our research, we were surprised to find an almost identical drawing of a beggar in Berlin – it usually isn`t good news when you find … a similar drawing in a museum, because it can mean that the [discovery] … is only a copy," Ponnet added. The sketch’s superiority is evident in the great details by which the dog`s head and hind legs have been drwan, the relationship between the beggar`s hand and the hat he holds, and the delineation of the boy`s torso. The drawing is now to be sold by Christie`s on 3 July is estimated to fetch around £80,000.