At Christie’s London on July 5 the portrait of  Peter Paul Rubens daughter Clara will be exposed for the final sale while  it’s being valued between $4 million and $6.8 million.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (USA) set the painting for auction five years ago, for estimated $20,000–$30,000, while the acclaimed institution had no idea as to the scale of its error. The painting then wasn’t attributed to the genius of Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640),  but considered to be from a disciple imitating his style. However the portrait was completed by Rubens himself, depicting  the artist’s 12-year-old daughter, finished just before her untimely death from the plague.

There is legend about another portrait by Rubens, depicting a blond lady, which is considered to be fantasy of the artist, haunted by his passed away daughter Clara. The father imagined how his daughter would look like if survived the plague. However this one is not for sale, but exposed permanently in Hermitage Museum of Saint-Petersburg.

Portrait of a Lady-in-Waiting to the Infanta Isabella or the Portrait of Clara Serena Rubens, Daughter of the Painter (?), Hermitage, Saint-Petersburg, Russia.