The portrait of an Irish aristocrat goes on the auction block Saturday. Experts are still undecided wether it was painted by Gainsborough.

Expert Hugh Belsey is unconvinced. “In my opinion, it’s not a Gainsborough,” said the British art historian who is creating a catalogue of the artist’s portraits and recently discovered a long-lost Gainsborough that’s expected to fetch up to $250,000 at a London auction next month.

The Ontario auction house selling the painting as part of a Begg family estate sale has an invoice from 1930 identifying it as a genuine Gainsborough - among the most coveted of classic British artworks - but cautions that it cannot “guarantee its authenticity.”

Auctioneer Theresa Taylor says “It looks like a Gainsborough, feels like a Gainsborough, the records say it’s a Gainsborough, but is it?” she says. “Collectors believe it’s a Gainsborough, and people genuinely think that this may be an incredible opportunity to pick up a great piece of historical art at a great price.”

Posted: 06|13|08 at 6:59 am. Filed under: Auction News.