Loeckx, auction house from Ghent, Belgium, sells on 15 September 2015 a "Flemish School, exceptionally large work on copper" Christ with Pilatus (68 by 85 cm is indeed a rather large oil on copper). It is signed "Van Veerendael 1675" and estimated at a hefty 27,000 to 30,000 Euro (lot 309).
This lot was brought to my attention by a blog reader who remarked that all known works by Nicolaes Van Veerendael (Antwerp, 1640-1691) are either flower pieces, either separately or together with other artists in a larger work, or in a few exceptional cases "monkey pieces", allegorical pieces with monkeys instead of humans. One "Vanitas" is also sometimes said to be by Veerendael. However, not one historical or religious painting by Veerendael seems to be known.
It turns out that this work is not a new composition, but a copy after a
Rembrandt engraving. Whether the copy is made by Veerendael is not clear (the auction house seems to have doubts about it as well), it certainly is competently painted, but I don't think a copy after an engraving is worth the estimate given. A real flower piece by Veerendael often fetches 100,000 Euro or more, but this? I wouldn't give more than 5,000 Euro for it.
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