Long-lost Renaissance masterpiece discovered on wall above lady's cooker
A painting that hung for years in the kitchen of an elderly lady's home in France is expected to sell for around £5 million.
The painting, entitled 'Christ Mocked', is believed to have been painted by the by early Renaissance artist Cimabue. Eric Turquin, a Paris-based specialist in old masters, has authenticated the 13th century work ahead of its sale by auction house Acteon in Senlis, north of Paris, on October 27.
'For years, the painting had hung close to a cooking plate in the kitchen of an elderly lady in Compiegne, north of Paris,' report Reuters. Its value was only discovered when an auction house came to value her possessions.
'Turquin said there was no doubt about the authenticity of the painting,' continues the report, citing the fact that it is 'in the style of the Italian master' and that ;tunnels made by woodworms in the poplar wood panel match those of two similar Cimabues, a “Madonna Enthroned” in London’s National Gallery and “The Flagellation of Christ” in the Frick Collection in New York.'
Sheepdogs are latest victim in spate of rural crime
Thieves are now targeting working dogs as livestock thefts escalate in the UK, warns insurers NFU Mutual.
Criminals are using the valuable animals to herd up increasing numbers of sheep, which they sell for meat on the black market.
The insurer has issued advice to those looking to help protect farms from such attacks.
Whales return against the odds
A pair of humpback whales first spotted off the coast of Kerry in 1999 have resurfaced to the delight of those monitoring the species.
‘To think that they could have stayed together for 20 years in treacherous waters with busy shipping lanes, sonar blasting, ghost drifting fishing nets and plastic pollution is nothing short of remarkable,’ said Eoin O’Mahony, who originally filmed the whales.
On this day... Ronnie Barker born
On 25 September, 1929, Ronnie Barker — star of The Two Ronnies, Open All Hours and Porridge among many other things — was born in Bedford, England.
Wet weather causes chaos (but some aren't complaining)
Tuesday's heavy rain caused flooding and travel disruption across England and the MET Office issued a yellow warning.
Disgruntled commuters took to social media with reports of abandoned cars and cancelled services, while a rare few, including puppy Dudley, celebrated the change in climate.
And Finally... The power of peas
Experts have asked if peas have the power to provide our future protein amid today's environmental concerns.
Country Life Today: The town-dwelling sheepdogs that end up needing counselling
Country Life Today: The song of the world's rarest whale recorded for the first time in history
This morning you can hear the song of the Pacific right whale, see how nature at Chernobyl has recovered and
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If the future of Ferrari is electric vehicles, then it is our future tooIt's widely believed that Ferrari will unveil its first electric car this year. It's the signal that the internal combustion era is coming to an end.
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Gaze over Cap Ferrat in this four-bedroom French villaIgnore the wind and the rain. Imagine yourself in this hillside home with some of the best views the Mediterranean can offer.
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The brilliant tractor tribute to the NHS from a group of Warwickshire farmersPeople around Britain have been paying tribute to the efforts of our NHS workers at the time of the coronavirus pandemic — but few have been as creative and clever as this one.
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London's iconic red bus at risk and 6,000 year old chewing gum gives clues into our DNA historyCuts to industry subsidies and an increase in fares has left bus use at its lowest point ever, while DNA extracted from ancient 'chewing gum' allows scientists to decipher the genetic code of a Stone Age woman.
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90-million-year-old 'swimming dinosaur' skeleton found by dogs out walking in Somerset, and the nonchalant moths who don't bother fleeing enemiesA superbly intact dinosaur skeleton — described as being 'museum quality' — has been discovered on a beach in Somerset.
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Battle to ban 4x4s from the idyllic Lake District spot bequeathed by Beatrix Potter, eagle fights octopus and the 'snail's pace' climate talksThis morning we look at Little Langdale's fight for peace, reflect on the climate change talks in Madrid and discover the soundtrack for Brexit.
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Country Life Today: How Greta Thunberg shifted the dial on climate change — and the backlash shows just how muchThis morning we ponder whether Greta Thunberg is the Joan of Arc for the environmental movement, look at a key election — one from 19 years ago — and ponder the marvel of 'dad tidying'.
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Country Life Today: Great news for those who love our great country pubs — the years of decline are overThere is a great sign of health in the pub industry, we look back at Edward VIII's abdication message and fret about Greenland's melting ice.
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Country Life Today: Spain accused of being 'a deplorable choice' for UN climate conferenceA no-holds-barred assault on the Spanish fishing industry, Banksy raising awareness of the homeless and the woes of the Christmas jumper are in today's news round-up.
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Country Life Today: 'This is perhaps the ultimate wake-up call from the uncontrolled experiment humanity is unleashing on the world’s oceans'In today's round up, we examine why oxygen loss is putting oceans at risk, discover that action to cut air pollution brings almost immediate benefits to human health and find out which bird's arrival marks the start of winter in Gloucestershire.
