BRAFA Art Fair in Brussels will host the first public presentation of a previously unknown painting now attributed to Peter Paul Rubens on 25 January, attracting international attention for its remarkable dual imagery and its unexpected path to discovery.
Originally acquired anonymously at auction and catalogued as a Flemish school study, the work has since been identified as a rare two-in-one Rubens: a single sheet bearing two distinct painted figures layered one over the other.
BRAFA Showcases a Work by Peter Paul Rubens
At first glance, the painting depicts an elderly bald man with a thick, flowing beard and a penetrating gaze. Closer inspection, however, reveals a second image hidden beneath the surface: the face of a young woman, her hair and braided crown embedded within the old man’s beard.
Is it a bald elderly man with a large, bushy beard and a wine-clouded gaze? Or a friendly young woman with flowing hair and a crown of braids?
This striking visual ambiguity recalls the classic “duck–rabbit” optical illusion, yet art historians believe the effect was not intentionally playful. Instead, Rubens likely reused an earlier study, painting over it as working material—common practice for artists of his time.
From Online Auction to Old Master Attribution
The painting was acquired online three years ago by Belgian art dealer Klaas Muller, who paid less than €100,000 for what was described as an anonymous, undated work on paper from the Flemish school. Muller has said he was drawn to the piece instinctively, noting its strong stylistic resemblance to Rubens despite the lack of attribution.
Only after months of close study by Ben van Beneden, former director of the Rubens House in Antwerp, did confidence in the attribution solidify. According to van Beneden, the quality of execution, handling of physiognomy, and painterly confidence strongly support Rubens’ authorship.
A Familiar Face in Rubens’ Oeuvre
The elderly male figure in the study is not unknown. Variations of the same face appear repeatedly throughout Rubens’ major works, including:
- The Raising of the Cross (Antwerp Cathedral), where he appears as Saint Amandus
- The Adoration of the Magi (Prado Museum, Madrid), as King Melchior
- The Tribute Money (Legion of Honour Museum, San Francisco), as a Pharisee peering from behind Christ
Art historians have long known that Rubens developed prototype head studies to reuse across compositions. One such prototype was believed lost—until now.
Why the Discovery Matters
What makes this painting exceptional is not only its attribution, but its insight into Rubens’ working process. The layered images offer rare evidence of how the artist experimented, recycled materials, and refined character types before integrating them into monumental canvases.
Despite being a preparatory study rather than a finished market work, experts emphasize its exceptional realism and technical mastery—qualities consistent with Rubens at the height of his powers.
On View at BRAFA, Then What?
The painting currently hangs in Muller’s private home, but its upcoming presentation at BRAFA Brussels will mark its first public appearance. Muller has expressed hope that, following the fair, a museum will agree to take the work on long-term loan, allowing wider scholarly and public access.
Even as a study, the rediscovered Rubens stands as a compelling reminder that major discoveries can still emerge from overlooked corners of the art market—and that a single sheet of paper can contain more than one history, more than one face, and more than one story.