Business · India Bureau
Obscure Dutch masterpiece fetches £70,000 at English auction
A previously overlooked oil painting attributed to 17th-century Dutch artist Hendrik Gerritsz Pot has sold for nearly nine times its estimate at auction in England. The work, depicting a woman with a lute and accompanying dog, emerged from a private collection after decades of relative obscurity.
LSN India ·
The painting, which went under the hammer in October, commanded £70,000 despite initial valuations suggesting a sale price of just £8,000. Art experts believe the work may be connected to Pot's renowned Merry Company series, though the attribution remains subject to scholarly debate.
The artwork had remained within a single family collection for years before being offered for sale. Housed within an English manor, the piece appears to exemplify the domestic and genre scenes that characterised Pot's artistic output during the Dutch Golden Age.
The dramatic price realisation underscores sustained international collector interest in lesser-known European old masters. The successful sale reflects broader market enthusiasm for 17th-century Dutch painting, particularly works emerging from long-established European private collections.
Hendrik Gerritsz Pot, active during the 1600s, was known for his detailed domestic interiors and convivial gathering scenes. The artist's works remain relatively scarce on the contemporary auction market, contributing to strong demand whenever authenticated examples become available for sale.