A painting once rejected as a work by the Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn has now been recognized as authentic after a two-year investigation in Amsterdam. The Rijksmuseum announced Monday that the painting, called “Vision of Zacharias in the Temple,” was created in 1633 when Rembrandt was twenty-seven years old. The artwork had remained out of public view for decades after a private collector purchased it in 1961, one year after experts decided that the painting was not by Rembrandt. Beginning Wednesday, the painting will appear in the Rijksmuseum on long-term loan so visitors can see the newly confirmed work by the famous master of the Dutch Golden Age.

Museum specialists used modern technology and historical research to confirm the discovery. Careful analysis included macro X-ray fluorescence scanning and detailed comparisons with other paintings by Rembrandt. According to curator Jonathan Bikker, the wooden panel came from a tree cut before 1633, matching the date on the painting. The pigments and painting techniques also matched those used by Rembrandt in other artworks. The painting shows a biblical scene in which the Archangel Gabriel tells the priest Zacharias that a son will be born, who will later become John the Baptist. Museum director Taco Dibbits said discoveries of unknown Rembrandt works happen rarely. However, the identification of this masterpiece suggests that additional paintings by the artist may still exist in private collections around the world.