An Amazing Attic Discovery May Mean Millions For A Frenchman

Attics exist as a place to stuff old belongings to make room for other random stuff in our homes. At best we may have an old baseball card collection, or some moderately valuable beanie babies packed away, but other than that, probably a bunch of dusty ole' knick knacks. If you happen to be the luckiest person in the world, you could have a true treasure hidden in your attic that a previous owner left behind. That's what happened to a couple near Toulouse, France who went into their attic to fix a water leak. What they happened to find was so valuable that they can easily quit their jobs and live like kings for the rest of their lives. The find has generated some controversy as well.

COMMENT on Facebook if you or someone you know has found something incredibly valuable in their attic or basement.

A couple near Toulouse, France found something stuffed up in the rafters of their attic that may change their lives forever.

They found a painting that appeared to be pretty well done.

After the find, they sought an expert opinion to determine the identity of the piece. Could it actually be a masterpiece from an artist like Picasso or a Van Gogh?

Eric Turquin, an expert on old painting masters, says that the painting has the luminescent qualities of a Caravaggio masterpiece.

This piece of evidence was huge. The painting was one step closer to being authenticated.

The couple immediately knew that they had stumbled upon a potentially valuable masterpiece.

The piece of art is believed to be the 400-year-old Judith Beheading Holofernes from Caravaggio.

Caravaggio was a famous artist from Milan who became popular in the early 1600s and was known for being one of the bad boys of art.

He had a reputation for getting into brawls and had even killed a young man once. The violent artwork makes more sense now. 

Turquin and the couple have tirelessly contacted Caravaggio authenticators to pin down the real answer.

Unfortunately, the answers haven't been as conclusive as they would have wished.

Some experts and historians believe that the artwork isn't authentic, and could be a copy of the original.

Turquin admits that there have been copies Caravaggio copies in the past, casting some doubt on the possibility that the attic find is the original.

Others experts say they know for sure that it's the real deal. 

Experts who are well acquainted with the depiction of light in other Caravaggio paintings believe that it's the original. This would be HUGE for the couple.

While the work does appear to be the original Judith Beheading Holofernes, the mystery is still unresolved. 

It will likely take several more years to conclusively determine the authenticity of the piece. What do you think? Is it real? Check out this interesting video below to hear about other crazy things that have been found in attics. 

COMMENT on Facebook if you have ever discovered something valuable or creepy in your attic.

Main image via WIDEWALLS 

Collage image via The Sun | Fotolia.com