Rare 13th century painting found in a French kitchen earns $26 million at auction

For decades, a woman in France had no idea that she was cooking her meals underneath a work of art dating back to 1280.

The elderly woman, who has asked to remain anonymous, decided to sell her house in June, and asked an auctioneer to come and see if there was any furniture or decor that could be sold. The auctioneer, upon entering the kitchen, was instantly drawn to the 10-inch by 8-inch painting of Jesus Christ. The woman always thought it was a Greek religious icon, and can't remember how it came to belong to her family.

The auctioneer left with the painting, and with the help of infrared reflectography, experts determined it was "Christ Mocked," a piece by famed painter Cenni di Pepo, known as Cimabue. Cimabue, born in Florence in 1240, "is a father of painting, so we know his work very well," art specialist Jerome Montcouquil told CNN. Only 11 Cimabue paintings exist, and "Christ Mocked" was the first to ever go to auction. It was a little dusty but otherwise in great condition, and sold on Sunday for $26.8 million — four times the estimate.

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