In a tale that could have sprung from the pages of an art world thriller, a dusty Renaissance painting tucked away under a garage bench in Oxfordshire has stunned experts and collectors alike—fetching nearly $900,000 at auction and rewriting the record books for a British auction house. The artwork, believed to be the handiwork of 15th-century Italian master Pietro Vannucci, better known as Perugino, depicts the Madonna and Child, a subject that has long captivated both the faithful and the art historical community.
The unlikely discovery began when an Oxfordshire local, unaware of the treasure gathering dust among power tools, brought the painting to JS Fine Art auctioneers in Banbury, England. According to the BBC, the piece was identified as a possible Perugino, a painter once regarded as a peer of Leonardo da Vinci and famed for his serene religious compositions and influence on the likes of Raphael. The auction house described the work as an Italian old master painting, and after careful examination, most experts agreed it was consistent with creations from the Florentine school of the 16th century, though some uncertainty about the attribution remains.
Joe Smith, founder and principal auctioneer at JS Fine Art, recalled the electric atmosphere as the painting went under the hammer on September 27, 2025. "When the hammer fell, there was a hush—then applause," Smith recounted, describing the moment as one every auctioneer dreams of. The bidding war, which lasted a nail-biting 15 minutes, saw fierce competition from online, phone, and in-room bidders, culminating in a private collector—who chose to remain anonymous—securing the painting for $896,960 (£685,000). This sum shattered the auction house's previous record of $347,347 (£265,000), more than tripling their highest-ever sale.
"We knew it was special, but the response was beyond anything we expected. The longer you looked, the more you realized the quality of the workmanship and the elegance of the Renaissance detailing," Smith told reporters, as quoted by the BBC. The painting's journey from obscurity to the limelight has left many in the art world marveling at the twists of fate that sometimes return lost masterpieces to public view.
The work itself, a tender Madonna and Child, is a theme Perugino explored frequently throughout his career. According to ArtNet, such paintings were among his most successful and sought-after motifs. Perugino, nicknamed "Il Perugino," was once so esteemed that he was chosen alongside Sandro Botticelli to decorate the walls of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, well before Michelangelo's iconic ceiling frescoes. Despite being later overshadowed by his star pupil Raphael, Perugino's soft landscapes and graceful figures remain hallmarks of the Italian Renaissance.
Mirna Megyeral, a PhD student and art researcher, weighed in on social media about the painting's authenticity and significance. She argued that the work was not a 19th-century imitation, as its paint layer and wooden panel matched those found in genuine 16th-century pieces. "The painting, being an authentic Florentine school product, elevates its value," Megyeral noted, though she admitted that conclusive attribution to Perugino would require further research. Intriguingly, she also mentioned that the back of the painting suggested it once belonged to a person named Agnews, adding another layer of mystery to its provenance.
The private buyer, who has kept their identity under wraps, has reportedly sent the painting to a conservator for additional study. Should experts ultimately confirm Perugino's authorship, the painting could find itself in the esteemed company of the master's other works, some of which reside in world-class institutions like the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. That museum, as noted in The Post, acquired one of Perugino's frescoes as far back as 1862—a testament to the enduring appeal and historical weight of his art.
The sale has not only set a new benchmark for JS Fine Art but also comes amid a wave of record-breaking transactions in the global art market. In recent weeks, Frida Kahlo's self-portrait fetched a staggering $55 million, making it the most expensive artwork ever created by a woman, according to the BBC. Such high-profile sales have fueled hopes among collectors and enthusiasts that the art world may be on the cusp of a renaissance of its own, with renewed interest and investment driving the market to new heights.
The painting's unexpected emergence from a garage is a reminder of the hidden treasures that can still surface in the most unlikely of places. As Smith put it, "It was one of those moments every auctioneer dreams of." The excitement surrounding the find has also sparked renewed curiosity about other potential masterpieces lying undiscovered in attics, basements, and—evidently—garages across the world.
Adding a touch of serendipity to the story, another Madonna and Child artwork has recently made headlines, though for a very different reason. As reported by The Post, a bargain-bin print of Mary and Jesus in Honolulu has drawn crowds after parishioners claimed it began weeping myrrh, a fragrant resin with biblical associations. While the scientific explanation for the phenomenon remains elusive, the event has captured the imagination of believers and skeptics alike, underscoring the enduring power of religious imagery to move and mystify.
Back in Banbury, JS Fine Art is already gearing up for its next major event. Their upcoming auction, scheduled for November 26, 2025, will feature 400 lots of antiques and paintings, promising yet more surprises for collectors and art lovers. As the dust settles on the record-breaking sale, the art world is left to ponder just how many more masterpieces might be lurking in plain sight, waiting for their own moment in the sun.
For now, the story of Perugino's Madonna and Child stands as a testament to the enduring allure of great art and the thrill of discovery—a reminder that even in the age of digital everything, some of the world's greatest treasures are still hiding where we least expect them.
