J.M.W. Turner's first oil painting sold at an auction for £1.9million after being missing for over 150 years!
The painting, titled The Rising Squall had traveled across different countries and came back to the UK but for over 100 years, people didn't realize it was actually a genuine Turner masterpiece, who later became famous for his watercolour work.
Last year, during cleaning and restoration, his signature was discovered, proving it was his work.
The painting shows a dramatic scene of a former hot spring and spa in Bristol, viewed from the side of the River Avon, before the Clifton Suspension Bridge was built.
A spokesperson for Sotheby's said, "The painting was pursued by four determined bidders, selling to a UK private collector for £1.9m, nearly eight times the estimate."
The statement added, "The rediscovery and auction coincided with the 250th anniversary of Turner's birth, with institutions across the United Kingdom celebrating the legacy of one of Britain's most beloved and influential artists."
The painting was first shown to public at the Royal Academy in 1793, just three days after Turner turned 18.
It was then bought by Reverend Robert Nixon who used to visit Turner's father's barber shop.
After Nixon died, his son kept the painting but then it disappeared from public view and was forgotten.
The last time anyone saw it in an exhibition was in 1858, in Tasmania, Australia.
