A Painting Bought for 30,000 Won Turns Out to Be Worth 59.1 Billion Won... Jackpot for American Man

A painting by Albrecht D?rer purchased by an American man for $30.
[Photo by Agnews Gallery, UK website]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A man in the United States has become the center of attention after a painting he bought cheaply was revealed to be a work by a famous Renaissance artist.

According to the New York Post on the 15th (local time), an anonymous man, Mr. A, from Concord, Massachusetts, purchased a painting for $30 (about 35,000 KRW), which was later identified as an original sketch by German Renaissance painter Albrecht Durer.

The painting is a sketch depicting a woman holding a child on a yellowed cloth, with the mark "A.D" left at the bottom of the painting.

"A.D" is widely known as a symbol representing Albrecht Durer, regarded as Germany's greatest artist.

However, Mr. A did not think the painting he bought was a significant work.

In 2016, Mr. A attended a flea market organizing the belongings of a neighbor who was an architect and thought the piece was a 20th-century replica.

The true value of the work was recognized by art expert Clifford Shore. After visiting Mr. A's home in 2019, he purchased the painting with an unconditional advance payment of $100,000 (about 118 million KRW).

Shore described the painting as "either the greatest forgery I have ever seen or a masterpiece."

However, Shore did not disclose the final amount he paid Mr. A.

After two years of appraisal, the painting was confirmed to be an original by Durer. It was subsequently exhibited at the Agnes Gallery in the UK under the title "Child with Flowers and Maiden Sitting on a Grass-Covered Bench."

Shore said he plans to sell the work someday but added, "I am not sure when or for how much."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.