Thought to be a later copy of a lost painting by Rubens, the work had hung on public display in the dinning room of Pollok House. A technique called dendrochronology, used to examine the tree rings of the wood, dated the panel to be from the 1620s and further technical analysis revealed the panel on which the portrait was painted had been prepared in the same way as was custom in Rubens’ studio.

Ben van Beneden, director of the Rubenshuis in Antwerp, authenticated the painting of George Villiers, the 1st Duke of Buckingham, confirming it to be by the Flemish artist. After centuries of dirt and overpainting was cleaned off by restorer Simon Gillespie the piece revealed many of Ruben’s trademark techniques. ( Extracted from [1] ).