In 1899, a painting of the Virgin Mary believed to be a respectable copy sold for $25 (about $2,574 in modern prices). Now it seems that it could be a genuine Raphael worth $26 million.
According to CNN, Grosvenor and a team of experts were examining the collection at the National Trust for Scotland's Haddo House collection in Aberdeenshire when they found the painting, which is dated between 1505 and 1510 and had previously been attributed to the Italian artist Innocenzo da Imola.
He asked permission to have the piece professionally cleaned, conserved and investigated after noticing a striking resemblaccnce to the Italian painter and architect's work.
"Finding a possible Raphael is about as exciting as it gets," Grosvenor said in a statement. "This is a beautiful picture that deserves to be seen by as many people as possible. I hope 'the Haddo Madonna,' which would be Scotland's only publicly-owned Raphael, brings many people to this part of Aberdeenshire."
The painting of the Virgin Mary hanging in the dining room at Haddo House in Aberdeenshire.
George Hamilton-Gordon, a former British Prime Minister and the 4th Earl of Aberdeen, bought "The Virgin Mary" in the early 19th century, believing that it was a genuine Raphael.
But it was quickly downgraded to "after Raphael" -- a designation used when the particular artist is unclear -- before later being attributed to Innocenzo da Imola.
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