A painting in Dublin's National Gallery of Ireland collection that depicts a 17th century "slap on the bottom" game has been confirmed to be a genuine Rembrandt.
The work, La Main Chaude,has been declared to be definitely that of the Dutch master by Amsterdam-based experts on Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-69).
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Until now, the painting had been categorised by the Dublin gallery as the school of Rembrandt, meaning it could have been the work of a student or follower of the celebrated artist.
Now, after a marathon procedure, it has been official designated as genuine.
The gallery bought the work in London in 1896 for £20.
Experts were today reluctant to put a price on the painting, but agreed that it would run into millions of pounds.
National Gallery of Ireland Director Raymond Keaveney said the painting had long been thought to be a real Rembrandt and today's confirmation was regarded as "a great source of satisfaction to curatorial and conservation staff".
The autographed work, which measures 20 x 26 centimetres, is currently on show in Kassel, Germany, and will go on exhibition at the Rembrandt House Museum in Amsterdam early next year before returning to Dublin.
It shows a group of people in a room playing the popular 17th century game Hot Cockles, known in French as La Main chaude.
One of the players is slapped on the bottom, or on the hand he holds behind his back, and has to guess who hit him.
Professor Ernst van de Wetering, director of the Rembrandt Research Project, said: "The panel from the National Gallery of Ireland can be attributed to Rembrandt van Rijn.
"Because there are virtually no known painted genre works - scenes from everyday life - by Rembrandt, until now the painting has not been accepted as one of his works."