Painted around 1520, the small-scale piece depicts a densely wooded scene framed by a rainbow, heavy clouds, and a distant rocky outcrop. It previously belonged to the Austrian aristocratic House of Harrach in Vienna before remaining out of public view for nearly seven decades. The painting is scheduled to cross the auction block at Sotheby’s in London this December following promotional exhibitions in New York and the British capital.
Key points
The artwork is estimated to fetch between £3 million and £5 million at Sotheby's Old Mast…: The artwork is estimated to fetch between £3 million and £5 million at Sotheby's Old Masters Evening Sale on December 9, 2026.
This offering marks the first time a work by Albrecht Altdorfer has appeared on the inter…: This offering marks the first time a work by Albrecht Altdorfer has appeared on the international art market since 1980.
The rediscovery spotlights Altdorfer's historic role as a pioneer who treated landscape s…: The rediscovery spotlights Altdorfer's historic role as a pioneer who treated landscape scenery as an independent genre rather than a narrative backdrop.
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A small Renaissance painting that remained in a private Swiss collection for nearly seven decades is set to make its way into the international art market, with an estimated value of up to £5 million. The work, attributed to German Renaissance artist Albrecht Altdorfer, is particularly significant because it could become the third known oil landscape by the artist, whose surviving works of this kind are exceptionally rare. According to The Guardian, The Art Newspaper and Sotheby's, the painting dates to around 1520 and will be offered at Sotheby's Old Masters Evening Sale in London on December 9, 2026. It carries an estimate of £3 million to £5 million and is being presented as a previously unknown work that has emerged from a Swiss private collection. Measuring just 23.4 by 19.8 centimetres, the painting depicts a densely wooded landscape, with a rainbow appearing behind the trees, a distant rocky outcrop and a sky filled with heavy clouds. Despite its modest dimensions, the artwork is considered an important addition to the known body of work of the Northern Renaissance artist.
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