Portrait found in Maine attic expected to fetch $15,000 sells for $1.41 million

A 17th-century portrait discovered among stacks of paintings in a Maine attic sold for $1.41 million at auction, far exceeding its initial estimate of $10,000 to $15,000. The painting, believed by the auctioneer who found it to be a work by Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn, attracted nine bidders before a European collector secured it in August 2024.The portrait, titled Portrait of a Young Girl, had reportedly remained in a farmhouse in Camden, Maine, for decades. Kaja Veilleux, owner, appraiser and auctioneer at Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, came across it during a routine visit to assess items from a wealthy family's estate.“On house calls, we often go in blind, not knowing what we’ll find,” Veilleux said in a statement.