A man finds a 17th-century painting in an attic: he sold it for more than 7 million euros.

A 17th-century painting by Dutch painter Frans Post has sold for more than €7 million after being found in a barn attic in Connecticut, USA. The painting, titled View of Olinda, Brazil, with Ruins of the Jesuit Church , was auctioned at Sotheby's New York on May 21 as part of a session dedicated to Old Masters. The piece was part of the collection of financier Thomas Saunders and his wife Jordan. The sale sets a new record for a work by Post .

The painting's history is as unique as its value. It remained hidden and covered in filth for decades until George Wachter , head of old-time paintings at Sotheby's, located it in 1998 in very poor condition. Despite its condition, Wachter suspected he was looking at an important work . He decided to contact the Saunders, who supported its recovery. The restoration process was led by Nancy Krieg , a specialist in Dutch and Flemish painting.

Once cleaned, the oil painting revealed a tropical scene with human figures , animals, and vegetation, including a small anteater in one corner. These types of landscapes, inspired by Brazil during its Dutch colony, were characteristic of Frans Post. What distinguishes this work from others by the same artist is its considerable size (60 x 90 centimeters) and its level of detail. According to Sotheby's, it is one of the artist's most outstanding creations in terms of scale and execution.

At the auction, which included other notable pieces such as still lifes by Adriaen Coorte and portraits by Frans Hals, View of Olinda became the most sought-after lot . It sold for $6 million , which, including fees and commissions, reached $ 7.3 million (about €6.7 million at the current exchange rate). Prior to this sale, the record for a work by Post was $4.5 million in 1997. This discovery confirms the value of rediscovered art and the growing interest in artists who documented the colonial landscape from a European perspective.