The small painting depicting a biblical scene was bought by Portimão museum at auction in 2006 for €780.
It is part of a collection of 20 paintings that belonged to famous Portuguese writer Manuel Teixeira Gomes, who was born in the Algarve city and was elected President of Portugal in 1923.
Despite currently being in storage, the painting in question, named ‘Lady, elder and child’, has been exhibited at Portimão museum and is attributed to French scholars of the 19th Century.
However, researcher José Pacheco claims a “twin” of the painting hangs in the Victoria & Albert in London and is an original work of art by Rembrandt.
José Pacheco is convinced that the Portimão painting was acquired by Manuel Teixeira Gomes in the UK, where he was an ambassador, and that it dates back to the 17th century from Rembrandt’s studio.
It’s ‘twin’, named ‘Abraham casting out Hagar and Ishmael’, is dated 1640 and is an original by the Dutch painter and etcher.
Speaking to Lusa News Agency, José Gameiro, director of Portimão museum, expressed his doubts with regards to the Portugal painting’s authenticity, but said contacts are being made to verify its origins.
“Rembrandt was systematically and vastly copied, by disciples, such as Ferdinand Bol, even centuries later, and could actually be one of the most copied painters in the world”, Gameiro said, exercising caution when speculating on the authenticity of the artwork.
Questioned about the type of interest it could generate should it prove to be a real Rembrandt, he added, “We, as a rule, in museums, ethically, must first prove and only then promote, while we have no proof we cannot announce anything.”