New Bruegel Masterpiece Found

An unidentified painting brought to Spain about 400 years ago has turned out to be a masterpiece by 16th-century Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Spain's culture minister said yesterday. He unveiled the work, "The Wine of St. Martin's Day," at the Prado. The tempera-on-linen painting depicts a crowd of about 100 people—a Bruegel blend of women and children, drunks, blind people, beggars and thieves—scrambling madly to get a sample of the year's first vintage from a barrel on St. Martin's feast day.

The Prado's director called the discovery "fantastic news for the history of art"; the museum is negotiating to buy it from its current owners, who didn't know it was a Bruegel until they set about trying to sell it last year. Sotheby's of Madrid then asked the Prado to study the much-deteriorated work and investigations gradually brought to light that it was a Bruegel. Confirmation came on Sept. 6 when cleaning work revealed Bruegel's signature. Prior to this find there were just 40 signed Bruegels in existence, the museum said. (More Spain stories.)