An 89-year-old german widow who takes in lodgers to boost her small pension has been revealed as the owner of the painting by Rubens “The Massacre of the Innocents” that recently sold for £49.5 million. She inherited the painting from her husband who bought the painting at Sotheby’s auction house when it was still believed to be the work of Jan van den Hoecke.

Anna K, mother of 4 and grandmother of 23 says: “I won’t use it myself – I’m 89-years-old – but my family will be pleased … I still go cycling every day but the stairs are a bit difficult because of my sore knee.”

This painting is the 3rd most expensive painting ever bought or sold. Read about the world’s most expensive paintings.