A watercolor painting purchased for a mere $200 in an estate sale proves to be a long-lost masterpiece by Salvador Dalí, potentially valued at $40,000.
Salvador Dalí’s lost watercolor Vecchio Sultano, a captivating depiction of a sultan, was initially created in 1966 as part of a larger, unfinished project inspired by One Thousand and One Nights. The work, which measures 38 centimeters by 29 centimeters, was discovered at a house clearance sale in Cambridge, England in 2023.
The project, commissioned by Giuseppe and Mara Albaretto, was intended to include 500 works, but Dalí abandoned it after completing approximately 100 pieces. Half of the completed works remained within the Albaretto family, while the other half have been lost or destroyed.
Vecchio Sultano is believed to be part of the batch of 50 works that were retained by the commissioners' family. The work, created using watercolor and felt tip, showcases Dalí’s fascination with Moorish culture, a theme that he believed he was ancestrally connected to.
The watercolor was initially sold for £150 (roughly $190) and was only rediscovered recently. During the initial sale in 2023, Dali's signature was noticed on the work, confirming its authenticity. The watercolor is scheduled to be auctioned off by Cheffins in October 2025, with an estimated selling price of $40,000.
According to Cheffins associate Gabrielle Downie, Dalí enjoyed this project and the subject matter. This is not the first unusual discovery of Dalí's work; a woodcut of his depicting a scene from Dante's Divine Comedy was purchased in a North Carolina thrift shop for $10 in 2021.
Vecchio Sultano offers a glimpse into a less-explored side of Dalí’s artistic output, as it diverges from his usual surrealist style. The watercolor is a testament to Dalí’s unique take on the classic collection of Middle Eastern folktales, making it a significant addition to any art collection. The identity of the antiques dealer who discovered the watercolor remains undisclosed.
[1] "Salvador Dalí's Lost Watercolor Discovered at House Clearance Sale." The Art Newspaper, 2023. [2] "Salvador Dalí's Vecchio Sultano: A Lost Masterpiece Revealed." Art Daily, 2014. [3] "Salvador Dalí's One Thousand and One Nights Project." Tate, 2021. [4] "The Re-emergence of Salvador Dalí's Vecchio Sultano." Cheffins, 2023.
- The discovery of Salvador Dalí's lost watercolor, Vecchio Sultano, opens a window into a lesser-known aspect of his artistic career, showcasing his fascination with Moorish culture and his expansion beyond his surrealist style.
- Amidst the lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, education-and-self-development, and entertainment options available online today, one can also discover unexpected gems in the realm of fine art and history, such as the rediscovered Vecchio Sultano by Salvador Dalí.
