LONDON— A painting long considered to be a reproduction created by Hans van Meegeren, a notable forger who lived from 1889 to 1947, is now believed to be a genuine work from the Dutch Golden Age. Experts say that The Procuress, which has been housed at the Courtauld Institute in London since 1960, actually dates from the 17th century and may have even been displayed in the home of Johannes Vermeer.

The work had been exhibited in numerous shows as an example of the highest-quality forgery. However, after experts closely examined it, no modern pigments were found, suggesting it was from a much earlier time. Two other originals of The Procuress are known to exist, one in Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts and another at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

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