A marble statue sat in a garden for decades collecting dirt is worth R146-million!
Makes you almost want to get those old statues evaluated...
If you are an art enthusiast, then you will know the Italian neoclassical sculptor from the 1700-1800s, Antonio Canova, who was famous for his marble statues.
Now what makes this relevant in this day and age is the fact that recently it was discovered that one of his renowned pieces was found. It was found in a British garden and is said to have been lost for many years.
The statue is said to be worth millions and will now be auctioned for anything between, $6.5-million to $10.5-million (which is roughly around R95-million to R146-million).
"The statue, which Christie's says depicts Mary Magdalene in "a state of ecstasy," was bought by its current owners for $7,540 (£5,200) at a garden statuary auction in Sussex, England, 20 years ago." (Business Insider)
The statue was recognised as one of the last sculptures Canova did before his death, and was actually commissioned by the then British Prime Minister, Lord Liverpool.
It has been considered a miracle that the statue has been found 200 years after it was completed. Can you even imagine what it must feel like to have had such an expensive piece of art and history in your garden?
Also, it's a great feat for the art world.
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Here's just some of his other work...Courtesy of Facebook:
Image Courtesy of Facebook