Last November agents of INTERPOL raided the home of Luigi Tracino, an Italian long suspected of possessing a number of purloined paintings including Vermeer's "Het concert" stolen from the Gardner Museum in Boston in 1990. While the famed Verneer sadly was not among the recovered masterworks authorities were surprised to find a painting by Eyk Van Jenz titled "Woman with Medallion" heretofore only known from descriptions in the journal of Henk Saefert, one of Van Jenz's many students, from the late 1400's. The painting itself historians believed had been burned in a fire in the town of Haafsdorf in what is now Germany in the early 17th century. How the painting survived and where it has stored since is a bigger mystery still.
Henk Tollmann one of INTERPOL's art theft experts said, "The painting appears to be in good condition for its age. As to its authenticity I will leave it up to the experts."
Indeed the painting has caused controversy since photographs of it first began to appear in the media. While the rendering of the woman in the painting appears to be very much in the style of Van Janz, the pendant hanging around her neck has caused some to declare it a hoax. Pictured on the pendant is a portrait of what appears to be 20th century pop star Elvis Presley.
Those who believe the painting to be authentic claim that the similarity between the portrait on the image and Elvis is a coincidence. Others claim that it is a master forger who is having a bit of fun with the public.
Either way the controversy has elevated the status of the painting beyond what might be expected without it. The painting will go on the auction block at Christie's in the spring where bidding is expected to start at US$70 million but could bring in much more.
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