Archie Parker, who founded The Parker Gallery in 2014, spotted the 18th century painting at an auction in the British Isles over a year ago.
It was catalogued as a picture by a ‘Follower of Joshua Reynolds’ but after research, Parker determined it is in fact a self-portrait of Joseph Wright, known as Wright of Derby.
Parker said: “More than one person worked out what it was because it was not dirt cheap.”
The painting will now be offered at Parker Gallery’s stand at the LAPADA fair with a retail price tag in the region of £100,000.
Wright of Derby is known for his dramatic use of light and shade and among his patrons were Wedgwood and Arkwright.
He completed a number of self-portraits during his career but this particular version was recorded in Wright’s catalogue raisonné as ‘whereabouts unknown’.
"Gift to his friend"
It is known through a print of the painting belonging to the collection of Sir John Crompton-Inglefield. Parker said a Latin inscription on the print’s reverse reads: ‘Joseph Wright the artist presented this painting by his own hand as a gift to his friend T. Gisborne in the year of Our Lord 1793 and 59th of his age’.
He believes the newly discovered self-portrait is the missing original that inspired this copy.
Parker said he has spoken to a number of other art dealer who agree with his attribution.
Having researched Thomas Gisborne (1758-1846), to whom the Wright of Derby portrait was given, he found Gisborne struck up a friendship that was to last until the end of the artist’s life.
The painting is also believed to have been shown in an exhibition in Derby in 1883.
The work will be seen for the first time with this new attribution at the fair in Berkeley Square, London between September 15-20.
Parker said: “LAPADA is one of my preferred fairs and it is the perfect place to show off something so British.”
