I spotted it on F. Lennox Campello's blog, and it's by an artist named Margaret Bowland. You can see many more of Bowland's equally spooky illustrations by clicking here and here. I hope Ms. Bowland doesn't take offense at my referring to her artwork as spooky, because I mean it as a compliment. I find her art very interesting, and so do others, as demonstrated by the fact the painting at the top of this post won the People's Choice Award Winner for the 2009 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition.
It has also been stolen.
Campello posted an interesting account of how the painting fell into the hands of a crooked art dealer. Click here to read the story.
As I was preparing this post, I noticed that Campello published a follow-up to his original article, in which the National Gallery offers a response.
I think I'm going to keeping an eye on this case, just to see how it all turns out.
I don't know if it's the chatter on Mr. Campello's blog that's prompted movement at the NPG, but according to a post on October 8, they've communicated with Ms. Bowland. To read the reponse, click here.
ReplyDeleteI agree withe Campello that is seems odd the museum hasn't contacted the authorities to look into the matter. They seem to be have been made unwitting accomplices in a scam and a theft.