Mozart portrait found in museum storage

BERLIN, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- An 18th century portrait of an unidentified man found in storage in a Berlin museum has been authenticated as a likeness of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

A spokesman for the Gemaldegalerie, one of Berlin's most prestigious museums, said the portrait of a bewigged man, full-faced and smiling and wearing a lace fichu under his open-throated jacket was initially described as the portrait of an unknown subject attributed to German artist Johann Georg Edlinger. It had been acquired by the Gemaldegalerie 70 years ago.

Extensive computer analysis confirmed the attribution and helped identify it as a portrait of Mozart painted in Munich in 1790, a year before the composer's death in Vienna. The identification was authenticated by Wolgang Seiller, a leading expert on Mozart, who said it was painted during the composer's final stay in the Bavarian capital.

The 31.5 by 24.5-inch painting will be placed on view Jan. 27, the 249th anniversary of Mozart's birth in Salzburg, Austria.