Art history is full of surprises, but every so often, a discovery comes along that reshapes our understanding of an artist’s work and offers a glimpse into the past. This is precisely the case with “Christ in the House of Simon the Pharisee”, a painting long thought to be by Frans Francken the Elder (1542–1616), which I can now confirm is by his son, Frans Francken the Younger (1581–1642).

The painting has a fascinating history. It was first recorded in the 1777 probate inventory of Kings Weston House, near Bristol, under the title “The Washing of Our Saviour’s Feet” and attributed to “Old Frank.” The Elder Francken’s reputation as a painter of religious and altar pieces was well established, but his son developed a more sophisticated style, attracting wealthier patrons to his thriving workshop. The similarity in their names and the ambiguity of the signature, “D.o. ffranck”, where “D.o.” stands for “de oude”, or “the Elder”, led to a centuries-long misattribution. In fact, Frans Francken the Younger adopted this signature from the late 1620s, after his father’s death in 1616.

The painting was displayed in Lady de Clifford’s private dressing room, a room described in inventories as “long and lofty” and decorated in blue silk damask. Among the surrounding works were pieces by Claude Lorrain, Nicolas Poussin, Pietro da Cortona, and Canaletto, artists whose names resonate with collectors today. This was a space reserved for intimate family viewing, suggesting the Francken was a cherished part of the collection.

Through careful study of the brushwork, composition, and subtle details – the almost sketch-like treatment of background figures, the glimmering tears suspended in mid-air from the woman washing Christ’s feet, and the richly rendered table setting – it became clear that the painting bears the hallmarks of Frans Francken the Younger. His signature fluidity and sophistication in composition distinguish him from his father, whose work was often more rigid and formal.

Interestingly, the subject itself has been misunderstood over the years. A later label on the reverse reads “The Lord’s Supper”, but the scene actually depicts an episode from the Gospel of Luke (7:36–50), in which Christ dines at the house of Simon the Pharisee and is anointed by a repentant woman. Only one other painting of this subject by Francken survives today, held in the Museum of Fine Arts in Rennes.

Provenance suggests the painting may have been acquired during the travels of Edward Southwell or his father, Sir Robert Southwell, in the Low Countries. It remained at Kings Weston until 1832, when the last of the Southwell line, the 21st Baron de Clifford, died and the estate’s contents were sold. The painting, by this time described as “Mary Magdalen washing the feet of Christ” was sold for £10 10 shillings, a price comparable to works by Poussin, suggesting that even then it was highly valued.

Today, the painting is once again coming to auction, this time through Dreweatts, with an estimate of £20,000 to £30,000. The Kings Weston Action Group has made a heartfelt appeal for the buyer to return the painting to its historic home. Such a return would reconnect it with the context for which it was originally chosen and celebrated, allowing it to be enjoyed as part of a remarkable ensemble of 18th-century European art.

For me, the joy lies not only in the act of attribution but also in the story this painting tells: of artistic skill, of aristocratic taste, and of the journeys artworks take through centuries. That a painting can sit hidden from public view for over 250 years, only to reveal its true authorship, reminds us of the richness of art history and the enduring power of discovery.

“Christ in the House of Simon the Pharisee” is more than an old master; it is a bridge across time, connecting the brilliance of Frans Francken the Younger with the elegant walls of Kings Weston House, where it once inspired quiet contemplation among the family and their guests.

For more information on the auction, which takes place on November 4th: https://auctions.dreweatts.com/auctions/9442/drewea1-10593/lot-details/0ee6df68-5934-4197-9ca8-b36a012754d9.