15K€ "In the style of Rubens (Workshop?)" is simply a copy after Rubens

Hampel, from Germany, sells on 28 September 2017 a Magdalene, estimated at 15,000 to 25,000 Euro.

It is described as "Farbkomposition in der bewussten Farbtrias von Rot, Blau und Seidenweiß, dazwischen kontrastierend das Braun-Gold des Haares über der linken Schulter. Sowohl Bildaufbau, als auch die Charakteristik der Gesichtswiedergabe weisen auf eine enge Beziehung zu Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) hin." and attributed to "Flämischer Maler in der Rubensnachfolge (Werkstatt?)"

Google translated this gives  "Color composition in the deliberate color triangles of red, blue and silk white, contrasting the brown-gold of the hair above the left shoulder. Both the composition of the picture and the characteristics of the facial reproduction point to a close relationship with Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)"

Well, duh. It is a partial copy after a well-known Rubens from the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, which adequately explains why the composition, colouring, ... so clearly point to Rubens. What remains is a comparison of the quality of painting with the original and with other works of Rubens or his workshop.

 

And while this is a well-painted copy, it is not good enough to live up to the expectations (or estimate) raised by Hampel. All delicacy of the original is lost, the nuances are replaced with rather indiscriminate touches, the colouring is bland. This may be a 5,000 Euro copy, but never a 15,000 to 25,000 Euro one.