When burglars raided a rambling farmhouse in Toulouse, they made off with some Art Deco perfume bottles but ignored the dusty old painting propped against the wall.
It is a decision they may now regret. That painting is being sold as a lost work of Caravaggio, with an estimate of up to £129 million ($251m).
Judith and Holofernes, which will be auctioned in France on June 27, went on display in London yesterday. Remarkably, it will be sold without reserve — meaning a buyer could pick up the bargain of a lifetime. But there is a catch.
Art historians are divided on whether it is a genuine Caravaggio, painted in 1607, or a very good copy.
"The poor buyer of this picture will not enjoy it," admitted Eric Turquin, the Parisian dealer behind the sale. He fears the new owner will be overwhelmed by letters saying it is a fake.