A painting thought to be a Gainsborough knockoff and shelved has been found to be genuine after decades.
The revelation came at the Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG), England. The museum first acquired the painting in 1960 from collector Edward Peter Jones. While Jones stated the work to be by the 18th-century master, the curator of RMG at the time did not believe it. According to RMG, while the work bore many similarities to the style of Gainsborough, it was ultimately “too coarse to be his work.” As such, the work spent most of the last six decades in the museum’s storage.
However, last year, Hugh Belsey (an expert on Gainsborough’s works) happened upon an image of the portrait dating back to the early 20th century. While he established the provenance to Jone, it was an acquaintance who informed him that the work was in possession of RMG. After requesting permission from the museum, Belsey could investigate the painting and collect evidence that the work was indeed by Gainsborough.
The painting features a portrait of the celebrated English Captain Frederick Cornewall. Belsey deduced that the work was created around 1762, very early in the career of a young Gainsborough who lived at Bath at the time. Reasons behind the confusion behind its authenticity include the fact that the painting was unsigned, as well as that the artist’s style changed rapidly as he matured in his career.
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The RMG curator Katherine Gazzard confirmed that they agree with Belsey’s conclusions. Now, the painting and its frame have been sent for restoration, which could take around £60,000. The work is scheduled to go public next year.