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Rembrandt painting was altered to erase turban from man’s head, restorers find
Exclusive: Unknown hand covered up artist’s depiction of diverse crowd during influx of refugees to Leiden in 1620s
TL;DR
- Restoration of a 17th-century painting has confirmed it as a Rembrandt, titled 'Let the Little Children Come Unto Me'.
- Layers of overpaint were removed, revealing that a later artist altered Rembrandt's original work.
- Changes included replacing a man's turban with a Dutch soft cap and clothing a depicted naked child.
- Rembrandt's original depicted a diverse crowd, reflecting the multicultural environment of 17th-century Holland and its refugee crisis.
- The painting is seen as a statement of Rembrandt's support for humanitarian relief and religious tolerance.
- The restored work also features various members of Rembrandt's family.
- The painting will be auctioned by Sotheby's with an estimate of £8m to £12m.