After spending only $12 (about ₹1,000) on a charcoal drawing, a Pennsylvania woman might have hit gold. Pierre-Auguste Renoir, a well-known French impressionist, may have created the artwork originally. The piece might sell for between six and seven figures, which might translate to crores of Indian rupees.
The artwork was discovered in January at a Montgomery County collector’s auction by Heidi Markow, owner of Salvage Goods Antiques in Easton, Pennsylvania. She was looking through things with her son and partner when she noticed the 17.5-by-16.5-inch drawing of a woman.
She told ABC News, “I just knew that I wanted it, but I did not know what it was.”
As she continued to peruse, Markow invited her partner to bid on three items. When they finally met, he informed her that he had only spent $12 on each of the three things. Considering that other things were selling for thousands, it was a startling deal.
When he got home, Markow studied the drawing. She saw an exquisite frame, fine paper, and a faint signature, all of which suggested something unique. According to a stamp on the reverse, the item was sold to a renowned collector after being imported to the US by a luxury art importer.
Markow thinks the drawing, which may have been created in the late 1800s, might be a portrait of Aline Charigot, Renoir’s wife. Renoir’s “Ingres period” was characterized by a strong emphasis on light and shading.
She contacted Sotheby’s and started looking into Renoir’s work out of curiosity. She was directed to a skilled art appraiser by them. The individual said, “Congratulations,” after looking over the piece.
Now, she has forwarded the artwork to New York’s Wildenstein Plattner Institute (WPI), which authenticates significant works of art. The drawing will be included in their official Renoir records as a “Catalogue Raisonne” if they acknowledge it as authentic.
