A family from Jaén has lived for several generations with an authentic work of art in their living room, but they were never aware of the treasure they kept: Nothing more and nothing less than a painting by Anton Van Dyck, considered the most important Flemish painter after of Rubens.
Van Dyck's canvas (130x92 cm) was always installed in the noblest area of the house, but it was not until last year when an art expert certified its authorship and also its title, “The Presentation of the Child Jesus to Santa Bárbara”, among the surprise and disbelief of the members of this family.
The family's lawyer has reported that for now they prefer not to reveal their identities. “The family was never aware of the value of the painting they had in front of them, they saw it as something routine that was part of everyday life,” he explained to EFE.
It is thought that the painting may have arrived in Jaén through Seville (where part of the family lived) in the 17th century. It was during these years that more than a hundred Flemish families settled in the Andalusian city, mainly merchants and bankers.
After its authorship was certified, the canvas, which showed obvious signs of deterioration as it was a painting from the first third of the 17th century, was restored by a workshop of renowned Andalusian professionals.
Van Dyck was a key painter in the development of the Sevillian Baroque due to the influence he had among painters in the 17th century, which is why the family believes that it is a painting that would enrich the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in Seville.
Luis Baena, the family's lawyer, has acknowledged that they "have no intention of speculating with the painting, but they do have a special interest in it staying in Seville, the city where part of the family members live." and with which they have a special relationship”
Although they have already established preliminary contacts with the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville, at the moment the painting does not have an official appraisal. “Its value will be a fair and reasonable price,” anticipates the family's lawyer.
