Oxfordshire man had no clue what was sitting in his garage next to power tools, until art historians took one look and phones started ringing

A man from Oxfordshire had some old junk in his garage that turned out to be a Renaissance masterpiece. A dusty painting he found under his workbench just sold for a huge £685,000, which is about $750,000. This old forgotten panel, called Madonna and Child, was sitting right next to his power tools, gathering dust, until art experts saw its real value.

Think about having a priceless piece of art just sitting in your garage. That’s exactly what happened to a local person in Oxfordshire who had no idea he owned a masterpiece by a 15th-century Italian painter named Pietro Vannucci. You probably know him better by his nickname, Perugino.

According to the NY Post, when the painting was put on the website of JS Fine Arts in Banbury, the response was way more than the auctioneers expected. Joe Smith, the main auctioneer, said the huge interest “surpassed anything I’ve ever seen.” Collectors from around the world jammed the phone lines and sent the staff into a rush.

This forgotten artwork just rewrote auction house history

When the bidding finally started, it was intense. The battle lasted a crazy 15 minutes of online, phone, and in-room action before a private buyer paid the final, jaw-dropping amount. The sale completely smashed the auction house’s previous record of £285,000. Smith described the moment the hammer fell perfectly: “When the hammer fell, there was a hush, then applause. It was one of those moments every auctioneer dreams of.”

This huge price tag makes sense when you look at Perugino’s background. Experts believe the peaceful portrait could be the real thing from one of the most famous painters of the Italian Renaissance. Perugino was seriously famous in his time, considered equal to the Mona Lisa creator, Leonardo da Vinci.

Perugino was even chosen to decorate the walls of the Sistine Chapel alongside Sandro Botticelli long before Michelangelo came in with his famous ceiling work. Perugino’s style, known for its graceful figures and soft landscapes, heavily influenced his star student, Raphael.

Although Raphael eventually went on to overshadow his teacher and steal the Renaissance spotlight, Perugino’s influence is undeniable. Speaking of unexpected moments, just like when social media stars caused cabin chaos, this discovery created its own buzz.

It’s actually pretty funny, though, because even Michelangelo reportedly dismissed Perugino as “clumsy,” according to the Victoria & Albert Museum. Well, the collectors from around the world who just threw down $750,000 clearly disagree with that view! This is a top-level historical find, and it just proves that one person’s junk really is another person’s treasure.

Smith noted that the longer his team looked at the piece, the more they realized “the quality of the workmanship and the elegance of the Renaissance detailing.” The new owner, who remains unknown, has already sent the work to a conservator.

Research is continuing into the painting’s origins. If it’s fully confirmed as real, this Madonna and Child panel could join Perugino’s other prized pieces in major museums, like the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, which bought one of his frescoes back in 1862. The discovery has captured international attention, much like a single phone grounding an entire flight.