A woman in New Hampshire, USA, experienced strong emotions when she made a seemingly insignificant purchase at a thrift store local. She knew she had gotten a good deal, but she certainly didn't realize how much.
For just $4, she purchased a painting that later turned out to be a masterpiece of art. renowned artist N.C. Wyeth, valued at almost US$250,000, which is equivalent to more than R$1.2 million at the moment.
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The story begins in a used store called Savers, where the woman stumbled upon the painting. She bought the piece without knowing its true importance and took it home, where she left it forgotten in a closet for years.
However, during spring cleaning, the woman rediscovered the painting and decided to share it in a group. Facebook called “Things Found in Walls”. What happened next makes the story even more fascinating.
Lauren Lewis, an art conservator from Maine, came across the post and noticed details in the painting that caught her attention.
She explained: “I often see copies of Wyeth paintings or works by artists influenced by him, but there were elements in the photos that stood out.”
Determined to solve the mystery, Lauren traveled for three hours to examine the painting in person. She came to the conclusion that the work was genuine and, surprisingly, extremely valuable.
The painting was not a simple work of art; was the creation of N.C. Wyeth, known for his illustrations in the early 20th century, including the iconic 1911 edition of Robert Louis Stevenson's “Treasure Island.”
The piece in question was one of four illustrations made for the 1939 edition of the novel “Ramona” by Helen Hunt Jackson. The most intriguing thing is that two of these four illustrations are still missing.
Kathleen Leland, an expert on American and European art at an auction house, noticed a crucial detail.
“Starting in the mid-1930s, Wyeth began using a specific type of panel for artists, Weber’s ‘Renaissance’ panels. They are easily recognizable by their red backgrounds and detailed labels, and this painting had those characteristics.”
Discoveries as accidental as this are rare. Leland admitted that although he had seen people ignore the value of the art they owned, this was a discovery made by someone completely outside the art world.
The painting by N.C. Wyeth, known for his dramatic scenes and exceptional use of light and shadow, is about to be auctioned by Bonhams Skinner in Massachusetts, with estimated sales of up to US$250 thousand.
So, the next time you visit a thrift store, remember to look in every corner, as you could be about to “unearth” some very valuable treasures!