After almost 40 years behind closed doors, one of Rembrandt’s famous paintings returns to the public eye.

Portrait of a man, half-length, with his arms akimbo, made in 1658, is set to be auctioned off by Christie’s in London on December 8th at 7pm.  Unseen in the public since its showing at “Rembrandt After 300 Years” at the Detroit Institute of Art in 1970, the painting is up for sale for this first time since 1930.  It measures 42¼ x 34¼ inches.

Painted during his most artistically inventive period, Rembrandt’s beautiful rendition of color and texture, as well as his hypnotizing display of light and shade depict an unknown sitter facing the artist with hands on hips in a defiant pose.  The painting was previously known as Portrait of an Admiral.

Christie’s expects the masterpiece to go between £18 million and £25 million, and hopes to break the previous record price for a work by Rembrandt which was £19.8 million for Portrait of a lady, aged 62, back in December 2000.

This 17th Century masterpiece is part of Christie’s “Old Masters and 19th Century Art Evening Sale,” which also features Il Domenichino’s Saint John the Evangelist, on sale for the first time in over 100 years.

Portrait of a man, half-length, with arms akimbo will be on display beginning December 4th.

[Christie's]