A lost Rembrandt painting has been discovered nearly 400 years later than its creation after it fell off a wall in Rome.
The Dutch painter is thought to have finished the work around 1633, but it remained hidden for centuries.
The oil on paper applied to canvas depicts "The Adoration of the Magi," or the visit of the three wise men to baby Jesus in his crib.
It was being held in a private collection kept by a noble family whose names have not been disclosed when it toppled from its hanging.
The family had no idea they were in possession of a hidden treasure, president of the Italian Heritage Foundation Guido Talarico said.
Mr Talarico said: "The owners had no idea who the author of the painting was.
"In the 19th century these works were seen as household ornaments and a sense of their value was lost.
"The painting fell to the ground, damaging the frame, and the person tasked with restoring it had a good eye. That was the stroke of luck.”
Antonella di Francesco was the eagle-eyed restorer who spotted the painting as a potential Rembrandt under its dark varnish.
He said: "During my work, one of the most beautiful things in life can happen: The sudden awareness of being in front of a work by a great artist who reveals himself to you, that emerges from its opacity and chooses you to redeem it from the darkness.
“It’s a thrill that has no equal. I don’t fight it but rather let myself be carried away by the spell.”
The family who own the painting are currently having it restored by art dealers, but it will eventually be made available to museums and galleries, according to Mr Talarico.
He said they have not expressed an interest in selling the artwork.
