Thought to be the final pair of Rembrandt portraits in private hands, these bust-length paintings depicted Jan Willemsz van der Pluym, a wealthy plumber, and his wife Jaapgen Carels, and were painted in 1635. Initially estimated to reach a maximum of £8m, the hammer price for the eight-inch-tall portraits was an impressive £9.5m, euronews reports.

The subjects of the paintings were connected to Rembrandt through their son, who married the daughter of the artist’s uncle, according to Christie’s. The oval-shaped oil-on-panel works had been part of a UK family collection since 1824 but were not recognised as Rembrandt’s until their authenticity was confirmed through investigation and scientific analysis at the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands.

Described as “intimate portrayals of relatives of the artist,” these miniature paintings offer a unique glimpse into Rembrandt’s artistic activity within his inner circle. The sale of these rare Rembrandt portraits was a highlight of the first part of Christie’s two-part Old Masters auction, which realised a total of nearly £54m and established three artist records.