A rare painting by him Peter Bruegel the youngest was found hanging behind a door of a house in northern France. The ‘excellent’ work’, as it is described, had been in the same family since 1900.

At 112cm high, 184cm wide and worth up to €800,000, the rare work is a version of ‘L’Avocat du village’ (The Village Lawyer), a theme Bruegel reproduced up to 90 times. It is believed to have been painted between 1615 and 1617.

Malo de Lussac of auction house Daguerre Val de Loire, who found the painting during an appraisal visit requested by the family, which wishes to remain anonymous, said he could not believe what he found.

“It’s one of those unique discoveries that happen once in your career. It is a very unusual painting in terms of size and the fact that it is in extremely good condition,” said De Lussac.

Pieter Bruegel the Younger was born in Brussels and was the eldest son of the 16th century Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Jan’s younger brother was also a painter.

According to the “Guardian” the unique work will be sold at the Drouot auction house in Paris accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.