Help with age of oil painting and a few queries!

Discussion in 'Art' started by Elen Beattie, Jan 8, 2021.

  1. Elen Beattie

    Elen Beattie Well-Known Member

    Hi all,

    I just picked up this painting at a thrift store. I have done some research and have figured out that it looks to be a copy of Scottish artist Colin Hunter's Herring Market at Sea, 1884. I'm wondering if any of you can help date my version? Do you think the mitred stretcher bars mean that it's American or did European painters also use these kinds of stretchers (eg were they imported to Europe?!). The painting I have is actually quite good and not an exact copy of the Hunter painting (there are some differences in the clouds, mountains and boat in the background. The painting is in need of a good clean, no obvious signature at this stage. Also, someone decided to spray the frame gold at some point in it's life and got it on the painting ffs. Any info appreciated! Thanks :)
     
    anundverkaufen likes this.
  2. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

  3. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

    It may have been copied from a print, not the work itself. This is a book plate that the seller says dates to the 1930s.

    Debora

    Screen Shot 2021-01-08 at 4.09.40 PM.png
     
  4. Elen Beattie

    Elen Beattie Well-Known Member

    Hi Debra,

    Thanks, yes I'd seen the 1930s print. I thought it was a little odd that it wasn't an exact copy of the print but perhaps someone just practicing a similar technique? Any idea of age based on the back of the canvas?
     
  5. Elen Beattie

    Elen Beattie Well-Known Member

    Sorry I mean Debora ☺
     
    Debora likes this.
  6. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

    There are some members here who are knowledgable about dating canvases. I'm not one one of them. I will say that, to my eye, the frame looks early 20th century.

    Debora
     
  7. Elen Beattie

    Elen Beattie Well-Known Member

    Thanks for your help!

    I am definitely no expert either. The stretcher keys have been replaced I think and it had backing paper at some point which may have protected it somewhat. I have to say, it's been a lot of fun researching all of it!
     
  8. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

    I bet! Fun thrift shop find.

    Debora
     
    Elen Beattie likes this.
  9. Aquitaine

    Aquitaine Is What It IS! But NEVER BORED!

    Can you get a close-up of what looks to be a signature at dead center at the very bottom of the picture, or is it not legible under any condition??

    And looking at the back of the ‘linen’ ?, which may have been protected by the paper, but I’m not thinking the canvas frame looks any too old.....But I DO like the scene!!
     
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2021
  10. Elen Beattie

    Elen Beattie Well-Known Member

    image1.jpeg image1.jpeg image1.jpeg the image1.jpeg image1.jpeg
    It's quite nice isn't it? And I think the artist isn't an amateur what do you think? I nerded out and looked at the painting under uv black light and found out that there was quite a bit of writing and numbers on the canvas under the oil paint. Does anyone know if this was commonplace?
     
  11. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    upload_2021-1-9_3-47-55.jpeg

    this is special.........


    [​IMG]

    this.....not so much............ imo..
     
  12. verybrad

    verybrad Well-Known Member

    I would have been all over that at a thrift store. Nice find! The finer grain canvas it is painted on is typically European. The stretcher does look more typically American so it may have come over unstretched. I am on board with an early 20th century date.
     
    anundverkaufen likes this.
  13. Elen Beattie

    Elen Beattie Well-Known Member

    Thanks!

    Would you say that someone copied it from the print do you think? That would make it after 1930.

    I would love to have it properly cleaned but that may cost more than it's worth! :bag:
     
  14. Elen Beattie

    Elen Beattie Well-Known Member

    I like it and think it is quite well painted actually.
     
  15. Elen Beattie

    Elen Beattie Well-Known Member

    Here’s a close up of that area under black light, what do you think?!
     

    Attached Files:

  16. Aquitaine

    Aquitaine Is What It IS! But NEVER BORED!

    When I get an image I frequently invert it to try to bring out what's there....with your 'black light' image, there still wasn't much to bring forth, and there may not be enough under any conditions......I just had thought I saw a signature.....my efforts below.....in B & W....original below that.... when comparing the two....almost looks like there's a G M then can't read, and later on a blurred like Bost...can't read.....but not POSITIVE on ANY of it!!!

    BARELY VISIBLE.jpg
     
  17. Elen Beattie

    Elen Beattie Well-Known Member

    Thanks so much for the tip on inverting! I will try that for the other images I attached :D
     
    Aquitaine likes this.
  18. Elen Beattie

    Elen Beattie Well-Known Member

     
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