Canadian philanthropist Pierre Lassonde, a major collector of McNicoll’s work, flew over to London to see the painting in person.

During the show, he said: “For a painting that has been missing for 110 years, I think it’s fantastic… I wouldn’t mind adding one more piece to my collection.”

Mr Taylor described the experience as “an absolute adventure”.

“The [Fake or Fortune?] team and the BBC have made the journey memorable and exciting,” he said.

“I believed in the painting from day one, and I’m hopeful that it could achieve a record price,” he added.

The painting is currently being stored in a gallery and Mr Taylor plans to sell it at auction in the near future.

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