A long-lost painting by 17th-century Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens has been found in a Paris mansion, a French auctioneer said on Wednesday.

"It is a masterpiece," said Jean-Pierre Osenat, who had made the discovery, referring to the sketch of Jesus Christ on the cross painted in 1613.

"It was painted by Rubens at the height of his talent," he told AFP, adding that the artwork was in "very good condition".

Osenat, the head of the eponymous auction house, said he had found the painting in September 2024 while preparing to sell the private mansion in the French capital's chic 6th district.

"It is an extremely rare and incredible discovery," he told AFP.

The painting has been authenticated by German art historian Nils Buttner, known for his research on the master of the Flemish Baroqu

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