Long-lost painting found in woman's kitchen fetches $26.8 million

Oct. 28 (UPI) -- A long-lost 13th century painting discovered hanging in a French senior citizen's kitchen fetched $26.8 million at an auction.

The 10-by-8-inch painting, Christ Mocked by Florentine painter Cimabue, aka Cenni di Pepo, was authenticated by experts after the woman who had it displayed in her kitchen decided to have it appraised earlier this year.

"It didn't take long for us to see that it was an artwork by Italian painter Cimabue," Jerome Montcouquil of art specialists Cabinet Turquin told CNN. "He's a father of painting so we know his work very well."

The painting went to auction Sunday in Senlis, north of Paris, and sold for $26.8 million, more than four times the pre-sale estimate.

"There are only 11 of his paintings in the world -- they are rare," Montcouquil said.