Pennsylvania Woman Awaits Verdict on $12 Auction Find Possibly Being a Renoir

The drawing, suspected to be a late 1800s portrait by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, will undergo authentication by the Wildenstein Plattner Institute in April.

Heidi Markow purchased a drawing for $12 at a Montgomery County auction in January 2025, later identifying it as potentially an original Renoir.
The piece is believed to depict Renoir's wife, Aline Charigot, and dates back to the artist's late 1800s Ingres period.
An experienced appraiser, recommended by Sotheby’s, supported Markow’s assessment that the work could be an authentic Renoir.
The Wildenstein Plattner Institute, a prestigious nonprofit specializing in art authentication, is set to examine the piece on April 10, 2025.
If authenticated, the drawing could hold significant financial value, estimated in the six- or seven-figure range.