World · India Bureau
Rare Altdorfer masterpiece emerges after 70 years in private hands
A previously unknown landscape by German Renaissance master Albrecht Altdorfer is expected to fetch up to £5 million when it goes under the hammer at Sotheby's this December. The work, hidden from public view since its acquisition in 1957, marks the first oil landscape by the artist to reach auction in over four decades.
LSN India ·
An undiscovered masterpiece by Albrecht Altdorfer, one of the Northern Renaissance's most celebrated painters, will be offered for sale at Sotheby's in December, marking a significant moment for art collectors and museum curators across the globe. The oil painting depicts a dramatic forest landscape crowned by a vibrant rainbow, showcasing the artist's distinctive approach to natural scenery during the 16th century.
The work has remained in private hands since 1957, when it was last documented as part of a personal collection. Its emergence at auction represents an exceptionally rare occurrence, given the scarcity of Altdorfer's oil landscapes in the contemporary art market. The last comparable work by the artist to reach auction was sold in 1980, underscoring the significance of the present offering.
Prior to the December sale, the painting will be displayed to potential bidders at viewings scheduled in New York and London, allowing international collectors and institutions the opportunity to examine the work before the auction takes place. Specialists have emphasized that Altdorfer's landscape paintings command considerable interest among collectors due to their historical importance and rarity, with estimates suggesting this particular work could achieve a price of up to £5 million.