Dusty painting in Scotland could be $26 million masterpiece

A painting of the Virgin Mary found in Scotland by TV producers could be a valuable work by Raphael.

The painting of "The Virgin Mary" was found at Haddo House, Scotland. Photo: The National Trust For Scotland.

The painting "The Virgin Mary" found at Haddo House, a historic site in Aberdeen, Scotland, may be the work of Raphael, a Renaissance painter, and is worth up to $26 million, the Huffington Post reported on October 4.

Dr Bendor Grosvenor noticed this painting when he visited Haddo House to make his BBC television programme "Lost British Masterpieces".

"The painting is dusty with yellowed old oil paint. I think it resembles Raphael's style," Grosvenor commented.

According to Historic Scotland, the painting was painted around 1505–1510.The painting was purchased in the early 1800s as a work by Raphael and exhibited in 1841 with other works by him.

However, by 1899, many believed that nIt was a copy of the original painting by the little-known artist Francucci da Imola, and was valued at just $26 (about $2,600 in today's prices).

After studying it, Grosvenor found that the sketch and profile of the Virgin matched Raphael’s style. However, the authenticity of the painting would require the opinion of several experts. The show’s busy schedule made it impossible to do so. As a result, the painting is still listed as a Francucci da Imola work in the UK’s art database.

"We don't have the time or the budget to show it to all the Raphael scholars in Europe. However, all the evidence points to the conclusion that it may be the only Raphael painting Scotland owns," Grosverno explained.

According to VNE