It hung in a simple dining room of a Spanish family for decades, unrecognized for what it truly was. Then it was rediscovered: Caravaggio's 'Ecce Homo.' A thrilling documentary tells the extraordinary story of this unique painting and the complex search for a suitable buyer in the high-stakes world of international art dealing.
In the complex world of the international art market, experts use the term 'sleeper' to describe works of enormous value that remain hidden for long periods or are mistakenly misclassified. It's the dream of every art dealer to discover such a treasure. Caravaggio's 'Ecce Homo' is exactly that kind of specimen.
Spanish director Alvaro Longoria embarked on an extraordinary three-year journey to document the discovery, restoration, and sale of this masterpiece. The resulting documentary, originally titled 'The Sleeper,' offers a captivating glimpse into a world most people never see. Even those who aren't art enthusiasts will find 'Ecce Homo - The Lost Caravaggio' thoroughly engaging and worthwhile.
Longoria interviewed numerous key players who were significant during various stages of the painting's journey. The film features the artwork's former owners, as well as various art dealers, art historians, and restoration experts. At the center of the story is art dealer Jorge Coll, whose keen eye and expertise would prove crucial to the painting's fate.
In 2021, the London-based Spanish art dealer Jorge Coll noticed the 'Ecce Homo' in an online catalog from the Madrid auction house Ansorena. The auction house had attributed the work to the school of Jusepe de Ribera, a 17th-century Spanish painter, and set a starting price of just 1,500 euros - a modest sum that would prove to be dramatically undervalued.
From his base in London, Coll remotely directed his team of experts to Madrid to examine the work in person. He harbored serious doubts about the correctness of the attribution but kept his suspicions to himself initially. In a telling phone conversation captured in the documentary, he explains his caution: 'If I tell you what I think, all hell will break loose.'
This moment of restraint reveals the delicate nature of art dealing, where premature revelations can dramatically alter market dynamics and potentially complicate acquisition efforts. Coll's experience and instincts told him this might be something far more significant than anyone realized.
The documentary follows the meticulous process of authentication that would unfold over the following months. Art experts, conservators, and historians would carefully examine every brushstroke, every detail of composition, and every aspect of the painting's provenance. The technical analysis involved cutting-edge scientific methods, including X-ray imaging and pigment analysis, to determine the work's true origins.
What makes this story particularly compelling is how it illustrates the often unpredictable nature of art discovery. Here was a painting that had been hanging in a family's dining room, passed down through generations, with its true significance completely unknown to its owners. The family had likely lived with one of the most valuable paintings in the world without ever suspecting its worth.
The authentication process revealed not just a work by Caravaggio's school or followers, but potentially a work by the master himself. Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, known simply as Caravaggio, was one of the most influential painters in art history, known for his dramatic use of light and shadow and his revolutionary approach to religious subjects.
The 'Ecce Homo' subject matter - depicting Christ presented to the crowd by Pontius Pilate with the words 'Behold the man' - was a popular theme in Christian art. However, Caravaggio's treatment of such subjects was always distinctive, bringing a raw humanity and emotional intensity that set his work apart from his contemporaries.
As the documentary reveals, the process of selling such a significant discovery involves navigating a complex web of collectors, museums, and institutions. The art world operates on relationships, reputation, and expertise, where the provenance and authentication of a work are just as important as its artistic merit.
Longoria's film captures not just the excitement of discovery, but also the business realities of the art market. The transformation of the painting's value from 1,500 euros to potentially millions represents one of the most dramatic revaluations in recent art history. Yet it also raises questions about how many other masterpieces might be hiding in plain sight, misattributed or unrecognized.
The documentary serves as both an art history lesson and a thriller, showing how modern technology and traditional expertise combine to unlock the secrets of old master paintings. It demonstrates the painstaking work required to authenticate such discoveries and the high stakes involved when dealing with works of such potential significance.
For viewers, the film offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the art world's inner workings, from the initial spark of recognition by an experienced dealer to the complex negotiations involved in finding the right buyer for such a significant work. It's a world where knowledge, intuition, and business acumen must work together to preserve and properly value humanity's artistic heritage.
The story of this 'Ecce Homo' ultimately represents the ongoing process of art historical discovery, reminding us that there are still treasures waiting to be found and properly recognized, sometimes hiding in the most ordinary places.
