Stephanie G. Mathis The Louvre acquired Jesus Mocked after a long, circuitous journey. It is a 13th-century work by Florentine artist Cimabue. The 10-by-8-inch painting, which is now considered a French “national heritage,” was hung for years over a hotplate in the kitchen of a 90-year-old French woman before experts identified it.
The painting dates back to 1280 and depicts Jesus just before his crucifixion. Jack Guy of CNN reports that the owner, in her 90s, didn’t know where the image came from. She assumed it to be a Greek religious symbol.
Kim Willsher of The Guardian reported that four years ago when she was clearing out her house in preparation for a move, the woman intended to dispose of the painting. She did not know its true worth. Her family enlisted the help of an appraiser to assess items in her home. The expert was intrigued by the unusual representation of Christ and assumed that it would be worth thousands of dollars.
Cimabue is a pseudonym for the artist Cenni Di Pepo, who was born in Florence around 1240. Many art historians believe he was Giotto’s teacher. Christ Mocked is one of only 15 Cimabue works that are known to exist. The painting was part of a diptych that included eight scenes showing the passion and crucifixion of Christ. Currently, only two other pieces from the diptych have been found.
Eric Turquin was called to authenticate the 13th-century painting. Turquin said to Artnet in 2019: “We had no doubts about the [Cimabue]attribution because this picture was clearly part of the [altarpiece].” Turquin said that the painting was the same size, style, and color as the other two paintings in the diptych.
The London-based dealer Fabrizio Morita purchased it for EUR24.2 million ($ 26.8 million) – more than four times its estimate.
After the auction, Moretti said to Scott Reyburn of the New York Times that he bought the painting on behalf of two collectors. It’s one of the most significant old master discoveries of the last 15 years. Cimabue was the start of everything. He started modern art. “I almost cried when I held the painting in my hand.”
The French government immediately declared Christ Mockeda a national treasure, and it was prohibited from leaving France for 30 months. The decision was bad for Moretti’s collectors. The Louvre had a chance to raise money for the purchase of the painting during that period. In the first week of this month, the French minister of culture, Rima Abd Malak, and the president and Director of the Louvre Laurence des Cars announced their success.
In a press release, the French culture ministry said: “These acquisitions were the result of a mobilization exceptional of the Louvre Museum that allowed to preserve in France the works of art coveted by some of the greatest museums in the world while making them accessible to everyone.”
The original owner of the painting died just two days later, leaving three heirs who will inherit the estate. The Louvre plans to display the newly purchased artwork alongside Cimabue’s La Maesta in an exhibition that opens next spring.
