Three oil paintings deemed fakes and locked away forhalf a century have been found to be genuine works by landscape artist JMWTurner. The oils wereleft to the National Museum Wales in 1951 by Gwendoline and Margaret Davies ofLlandinam, Powys, but discounted in 1956.
Curator BethMcIntyre said the works had "gone from being worth thousands to beingworth millions".
After newforensic examinations the paintings will go on show in Cardiff.
"It's wonderful," said Ms McIntyre, curatorof prints and drawings at the National Museum. "It's one of those thingsthat you always want to happen."
Ms McIntyre said she first noticed the paintings - TheBeacon Light, OffMargate and MargateJetty - when she joined the museum 10 years ago.
"Visually I could never understand why they hadbeen deemed not to be Turners," she said.
She said five of six paintings bequeathed by theDavies sisters in 1951 - one came later - were examined by Turner experts in1956, considered not to be by him and taken off display.
"Off Margate and Margate Jetty were deemedwrong," explained Ms McIntyre. "The Beacon Light was said to featurerudimentary beginnings by Turner overpainted by another artist, to the extentthat it was not a Turner."
They have been examined intermittently since then, inthe 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
A new investigation was begun, this time using moremodern methods, to reassess the veracity of the paintings.
In a process featured in the BBCOne programme Fake or Fortune, the original locations of the scenesdepicted were revisited, and X-ray, infra red and pigment analysis wasundertaken on the canvasses.
International art dealer Philip Mould, who took partin investigation, told the programme: "What we've managed to establish todate is entirely new evidence.
"Science tells us all the materials used inthese pictures are consistent with the materials used by Turner."
'Blip'
The result ofthe investigation was that Turner expert Martin Butlin, who had previouslydismissed the paintings, was moved to alter his opinion.
"We dooccasionally change our minds when we have the right evidence," he toldthe programme.
The artworkswere among a collection built up in the early years of the 20th Century by theDavies sisters, who were among the biggest benefactors to the world of publicart in Wales.
Ms McIntyresaid she was glad for the two sisters that the veracity of the paintings hadbeen reconsidered.
"To havethis blip in their collecting history was a shame and it's nice to prove thatthey were right; that these were Turner paintings," she said.
Although thepaintings' value has rocketed, Ms McIntyre said they could never be sold.
"They arepart of the national collection for people to come and appreciate," shesaid.
All sevenTurner paintings bequeathed to the gallery will go on show at the NationalMuseum Cardiff from Tuesday.
London-bornJoseph Mallord William Turner, who became known as "the painter oflight", died in 1851.
In July 2010 apainting of his of Flint Castle in north Wales sold at auction for £541,250.
Source:BBC
Thinking of buying something online? Use the link(s)below to give Leicester Bangs a share of the profits.
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder