The National Trust of Australian said a restoration project revealed a painting that had been stored at Woodford Academy for nearly 150 years was a 1640 work by Gerrit Willemz Heda. Experts said the painting, titled “Still Life,” may have been a collaboration between the artist and his father, Dutch master Willem Claesz Heda. Photo courtesy of the National Trust of Australia
April 18 (UPI) — An art restoration project in Australia led to the discovery that a painting in storage for nearly 150 years may have been a 17th century collaboration between Dutch master Willem Claesz Heda and his son.
The National Trust of Australia said it recently undertook a project to restore 36 works of art stored at the trust-managed Woodford Academy in New South Wales’ Blue Mountains and the work performed on a painting that had been stored at the facility for nearly 150 years uncovered the previously-unseen signature.
The painting, titled Still Life, is now believed to be a 1640 work by Gerrit Willemz Heda, and experts said it may have been a collaboration with his father, famed Dutch master Willem Claesz Heda.
“To find an authentic 17th century painting in my storeroom at the National Trust was beyond exciting, it left me breathless,” Collections Manager Rebecca Pinchin said in a news release. “This is a remarkable story of discovery, which has taken us on a journey across a number of years, piecing together and validating the work through expert advice and technology.”
Experts said Gerrit Willemz Heda is believed to have been about 17 years old at the time of the painting’s completion.
“He was so young and so gifted,” Pinchin said. “Even if this artwork was painted as a father-son-collaboration, the level of Gerrit’s skill in this painting is incredible. The handling of all the different textures, from the fabric and glass carafe, to the pie and the metal plate is really quite miraculous.”
The painting will be displayed at Woodford Academy as part of the 2022 Australian Heritage Festival on May 14.
