Rembrandt etching hidden in DC university bathroom now featured in new exhibit

Rembrandt piece found in DC bathroom goes on view

WASHINGTON — An original Rembrandt etching hidden in a bathroom cabinet at a university in D.C. is now part of a new exhibit.

The Rev. David O’Connell found the print when he was searching for paper towels shortly after he became president of the Catholic University of America in 1998.

The etching of a bearded old man had been tucked away for years. O’Connell asked the university archivist last year if it could be a real Rembrandt.

Archivist Leslie Knoblauch says an appraiser confirmed its authenticity and the Rembrandt became the centerpiece of a new exhibit at the university on Monday.

The exhibit is called, “Fine Lines: Discovering Rembrandt and Other Old Masters at Catholic University.”