Our Caravaggio is the real thing, says National Gallery

THE National Gallery of Ireland has said it is confident its Caravaggio masterpiece, The Taking of Christ, which has been on show in Dublin for the past decade, is authentic.

The statement follows newspaper claims that an unnamed, Rome-based art-dealer had “cast-iron proof” his copy of the painting was the original by the famous Italian artist.

The director of the National Gallery, Raymond Keaveney said claims about this copy were beyond its remit, although the gallery was aware of its existence since 1951.