The long-lasting painting of Salvador Dalí is found in the house of Cambridge that was originally bought for just £150 is now expected to fetch up to £30,000 at auction.
The artwork, titled Vecchio Sultano (Old Sultan) has been authenticated as the original piece of the famous Spanish Surrealist.
It is a mixed-media artwork that is painted with watercolour and felt tip.
Founded in 2023, the painting was later purchased by an anonymous art dealer.
The art authentication experts revealed that it had been once offered in a sale fully attributed to Dalí at Sotheby’s in the 1990s.
Gabrielle Downie of Cheffins Auctioneers marked it as a “significant rediscovery” for Dalí scholars. She said: “The loss of an attribution is quite rare in the modern artworld making this a significant rediscovery for Dalí scholars.”
She further added: “It has been an exciting process researching and having this painting authenticated and it is a testament to the seller's significant art knowledge that he was able to spot this picture at a house clearance sale.”
While describing Dalí style she noted: “Dalí's work is often some of the most recognisable, this is an unusual piece which shows a different side to his practice when working in watercolour.”
The artwork is regarded as an unfinished 1960s project commissioned by Italian patrons Giuseppe and Mara Albaretto. Initially, Dalí was instructed to paint a bible but instead illustrated scenes from One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights).
Among the 500 planned works, only 100 were completed before the project stalled. Of those 100, 50 stayed with the Albaretto family while some were kept by publisher Rizzoli while others reported to be damaged or lost. Experts believe this piece was among the lost batch.
The painting is authenticated by Dalí expert Nicolas Descharnes who reported that the artwork reflected the lesser-known side of the artist’s work. Its pre-sale estimate is £20,000-£30,000 which is a staggering return on the original £150 investment.
