A Lost Rubens Sketch Is Exhibited for the First Time at the 71st Edition of BRAFA / Brussels

A Lost Rubens Sketch Resurfaces and Is Exhibited for the First Time
at the 71st Edition of BRAFA

 BRAFA | Brussels| 2026

From Sunday, January 25 to Sunday, February 1, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Monday, January 26, 2026, by invitation only

>>> An exceptional discovery is making waves in the art world: a sketch by Peter Paul Rubens, long considered lost, has resurfaced and will be presented to the public for the first time at the BRAFA Art Fair, from January 25 to February 1, at Brussels Expo.
The work, titled Portrait of an Old Man, was rediscovered by Belgian Old Masters dealer and BRAFA chairman Klaas Muller. The quality of execution and the expressive power of the portrait
immediately caught Muller’s attention. After a thorough comparative study of Rubens’ oeuvre,
Muller identified the depicted face as that of a model frequently used by the Antwerp master to
portray apostles, kings, and secondary figures during his early years in Antwerp. This face is
notably recognizable as Saint Thomas in the Apostles series at the Prado in Madrid, and as
Melchior in The Adoration of the Magi at the KMSKA in Antwerp.
To confirm the attribution, the work underwent in-depth art historical analysis by Ben van
Beneden, former director of the Rubenshuis. According to him, several features point to an
original Rubens study: a spontaneous, vigorous yet precise brush stroke, exceptional virtuosity,
and the characteristic use of paper mounted on panel.
This discovery is particularly significant as it may correspond to the lost prototype listed in the
catalogue raisonné Study Heads (Corpus Rubenianum Ludwig Burchard, Part XX) by Dr. Nico Van Hout (KMSKA), whose location had remained unknown was considered lost.

 From a young age, Rubens produced preparatory drawings; however, it was likely during his Italian period that he began painting oil study heads, following the example of Federico Barocci and Annibale Carracci. “Rubens captured faces in quick, spontaneous sketches, often from multiple angles,” explains Van Beneden. “In this way, he built a visual repertoire of expressive
physiognomies that he re-used in his large compositions.”
Upon returning to Antwerp in 1608, when he opened his workshop, Rubens deliberately invested
in these studies. “This was his starting capital,” emphasizes Van Beneden. The earliest heads were
painted on paper and then mounted on panel, probably to facilitate handling within the workshop.
An additional argument supporting this attribution comes from a fascinating visual detail: the
paper reveals an underlying sketch of a young girl, later overpainted by the study of the old man.
When the work is turned upside down, this initial drawing becomes clearly visible beneath the
thick gray beard. This element provides early evidence of this workshop practice.
This marks the third major attribution by Klaas Muller to the Antwerp master. His previous
discovery, Diana’s Hunt, was sold at BRAFA in 2018 to an international collector and is now on
permanent loan at the Snyders-Rockox Museum in Antwerp.
This unique sketch will thus be exhibited to the public for the first time at the 71st edition of
BRAFA, offering a rare glimpse into the working methods and creativity of the Flemish master.

 

Dates and Location
From Sunday, January 25 to Sunday, February 1, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Monday, January 26, 2026, by invitation only
Evening opening on Thursday, January 29, 2026, until 10 p.m.
Brussels Expo – Halls 3, 4 & 8. Entrance via Hall 4
Place de Belgique 1 / 1020 Bruxelles