A Pennsylvania antique store owner may have found a hidden treasure: a drawing potentially by French Impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir, purchased for a mere $12 at a collector's auction. Heidi Markow of Salvage Goods Antiques in Easton, PA, spotted the piece at an auction in Montgomery County and, intrigued, had her son bid on it.
After taking it home, Markow noticed a signature and other clues, including the frame and paper, suggesting it could be a Renoir. Research led her to believe it might be a portrait of Renoir's wife, Aline Charigot. Sotheby's referred her to an appraiser who agreed it could be authentic.
The drawing is now under review by the Wildenstein Plattner Institute, which will determine if it will be included in the artist's official catalogue raisonné. If authenticated, the artwork could be worth millions.