Guercino Masterpiece Valued at $10 Million After Sopranos Actor's $70,000 Auction Find

Actor Federico Castelluccio, widely recognized for his portrayal of Furio Giunta on "The Sopranos," has seen a painting he acquired in 2010 for approximately $70,000 authenticated as a genuine 17th-century Baroque work by master Guercino. The artwork, a half-length Portrait of St. Sebastian, was initially listed as an anonymous 18th-century piece at a German auction. Its value has since been estimated at up to $10 million, marking a significant rediscovery in the art world.

Castelluccio, who is also an accomplished painter and art collector, purchased the artwork in Frankfurt based on a strong intuition about its true origin, despite its misidentification. According to the tweet, "Federico Castelluccio, the actor renowned for playing Furio Giunta on The Sopranos, purchased what was originally listed as an anonymous 18th‑century painting of St. Sebastian at a German auction for around $70k in 2010." While the initial purchase was around $70,000, some reports indicate a total investment including restoration reached approximately $140,000.

The authentication process spanned several years and involved painstaking research and scientific analysis. Art experts David Stone from the University of Delaware and Nicholas Turner, formerly of the J. Paul Getty Museum, confirmed its authenticity. They utilized advanced techniques such as infrared reflectography, pigment analysis, and X-rays to date the work to circa 1630-1634, definitively attributing it to Guercino.

Following its authentication, the "Portrait of St. Sebastian" was exhibited in Italy, making its world debut at the Castello di Miradolo museum in Turin. It later traveled to the United States for its first American public showing at the Princeton University Art Museum. These exhibitions marked the first public viewings of the painting in centuries, highlighting its historical and artistic significance.

The remarkable increase in the painting's estimated value to $10 million underscores the market's appreciation for authenticated Old Master works. Castelluccio has expressed a desire for the painting to eventually reside in a prestigious institution. His celebrity has also brought renewed attention to Guercino, with Castelluccio noting his delight that "All of a sudden, this strange name Guercino is coming up in people’s consciousness."