LONDON.- A previously unknown Portrait of a gentleman by the Spanish artist Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velázquez (1599-1660) sold for £3million today (Wednesday 7th December 2011) in the Old Master Paintings auction at Bonhams, 101 New Bond Street, London. The sale total was £6,329,500. Andrew Mckenzie, Director of Old Master Paintings at Bonhams, comments, “This is a portrait of outstanding quality which has the most extraordinary presence. To have worked so closely with it has been a wonderful experience and a highlight of my career.” In August 2010 a number of works by the nineteenth century British artist, Matthew Shepperson, were consigned for sale at Bonhams Oxford office. Among these works was a portrait of a gentleman, which was brought to the attention of the Old Master Paintings department in London who advised