A previously unknown painting by one of Britain's most famous artists has been discovered in Japan, Sotheby's auction house said Thursday.
Experts at the London auction house were asked last month to establish the origins of the painting, which depicts a traditional country scene.
They determined that the sketch was of Dedham Vale, in the county of Suffolk, and was the work of celebrated artist John Constable.
The painting was completely unknown to Constable scholars in Britain and has created excitement in the art world, the auction house said.
The work, which was extremely dirty and had to be cleaned, is thought to have been brought to Japan by art lover Kojiro Matsukata between 1916 and 1923.
After his death, Matsukata's collection was split up and it appears the new owners were completely unaware of the painting's provenance until they contacted the British auction house to investigate.
The sketch will be sold at Sotheby's on Nov. 24 and is expected to fetch £80,000 to £120,000 (17 million yen to 25 million yen). A spokesman for Sotheby's said it was extremely rare to find new works by Constable (1776-1837), who is best known for "The Haywain."
The sketch is thought to have been painted around 1810 and is an image of Dedham Vale, where Constable was raised.
In its early life, the painting was apparently owned by David Lucas, a friend of Constable and his favorite engraver.
From Lucas the work passed to Leggatt Brothers, an art dealer. The sketch was then acquired by Matsukata, owner of the Kawasaki dockyard and an avid art collector.
Matsukata's collection also included works by Claude Monet and later formed the core of the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo.
