Priya Kapoor
From moving figures to poltergeist activity, many paintings around the world are said to be haunted. Some of the most haunted paintings include The Anguished Man, whose anonymous artist mixed his blood into the paint before committing suicide; The Hands Resist Him, also known as the eBay Haunted Painting, whose characters are said to move at night; and a portrait of Spanish military officer Bernardo De Galvez, whose eyes are said to follow passersby. Other haunted paintings include works by Zdzisław Beksiński, whose life was shrouded in tragedy, and a painting by Laura P. of a hanging man, which is said to have caused paranormal occurrences.
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What You'll Learn
'The Crying Boy' by Giovanni Bragolin
"The Crying Boy" is a mass-produced print of a painting by Italian painter Giovanni Bragolin, which was the pen name of painter Bruno Amarillo. The painting, which was widely distributed from the 1950s onwards, features a tearful young boy with a melancholy expression. There are numerous alternative versions, including portraits of young girls.
In addition to being widely known, certain urban legends attribute a 'curse' to the painting. In September 1985, a British tabloid newspaper reported that a firefighter claimed that undamaged copies of the painting were frequently found amidst the ruins of burned houses. By the end of November, belief in the painting's curse was widespread enough that the newspaper was organising mass bonfires of the paintings, sent in by readers.
One story goes that Yorkshire fireman Peter Hall's brother, Ron Hall, did not believe in the curse, so he bought a copy of "The Crying Boy" to disprove it. However, his home in Swallownest, South Yorkshire, burned down soon afterward, and the picture was found intact among the ruins. Dora Brand of Mitcham, Surrey, also experienced a similar incident where her home burned down, and "The Crying Boy" was the only painting out of many that survived undamaged. On 24 October 1985, the Godper family of Herringthorpe, South Yorkshire, lost their home to an unexplained fire, and the "Crying Boy" picture in their living room remained unmarked while the surrounding pictures were consumed by flames.
Another version of the legend states that Giovanni Bragolin depicted children from orphanages and gifted the paintings to the children's homes, which later burned down. There are also claims that Bragolin fought on Mussolini's side during World War II and participated in experiments involving children, adding to the dark reputation of the painting.
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'The Anguished Man' by an unknown artist
The Anguished Man is a painting created by an unknown artist. The current owner, Sean Robinson, from Cumbria, England, claims to have inherited the painting from his grandmother, who believed it brought bad luck and was cursed. She told Robinson that the artist had mixed his own blood into the paint and died by suicide soon after finishing the work. Robinson displayed the painting in his home and he and his family experienced a series of terrifying events, including appearances by shadowy figures, disembodied moans and screams, and the sensation of being watched.
Robinson uploaded videos of the painting to his YouTube channel in 2010, where he claimed to have heard crying and moaning noises in his house and to have once seen a figure. The story of The Anguished Man was acquired in 2016 by La Brea Pictures, which hinted at a film that would be directed by Til Ricks, but the project appears to have stalled.
The painting is said to bring unease, terrifying dreams, and ghostly apparitions to those who owned it. It is believed that the artist's spirit haunts the painting, causing strange occurrences in the homes of its owners. While some believe that the painting is haunted, others may attribute the strange occurrences to the power of suggestion, as the painting's reputation precedes it.
The Anguished Man is not the only artwork associated with strange occurrences and paranormal activity. Throughout history, several paintings have gained a reputation for being haunted or cursed, with stories of mysterious events and tragedies linked to their ownership or display. Some people believe that these paintings emit negative energy or are vessels for supernatural entities, while others remain skeptical, attributing any strange occurrences to coincidence or the power of suggestion.
The idea of a haunted painting taps into our collective fear of the unknown and our fascination with the supernatural. Whether it is the result of active imaginations, coincidences, or something more supernatural, the legend of The Anguished Man and other haunted paintings continue to captivate and intrigue people who are drawn to the darker side of art and its mysteries.
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'Death and the Child' by Edvard Munch
Edvard Munch's "Death and the Child" (or "Das Kind und der Tod" in German) is a haunting painting that explores the traumatic experiences of the artist in his childhood and youth. Completed between 1897 and 1899, the painting depicts a child standing before her dead mother, conveying the silent horror of the child in the face of death. The painting is particularly notable for its discovery of a second canvas underneath the original, revealing another painting by Munch that remained hidden for years.
The painting has been associated with Munch's own life experiences, specifically the loss of his mother to tuberculosis when he was just five years old. This personal connection to the subject matter gives the painting a deeper layer of emotional intensity. The child in the painting appears terrified but unable to express her pain through tears, reflecting Munch's exploration of the theme of grief and the impact of loss on a child.
The technical aspects of the painting also contribute to its haunting nature. Munch employed a casein technique that gives the work a dreamlike transparency. The use of a portrait format, instead of the initial landscape format, isolates the child at her mother's deathbed, emphasizing the psychological impact of the scene. The painting's technique and composition reflect Munch's artistic radicalization, demonstrating his willingness to experiment and evolve as an artist.
The discovery of the second canvas underneath "Death and the Child" adds to the painting's intrigue. X-ray images revealed an unsigned and undated work, estimated to be from around 1895 to 1898. This hidden painting depicts a girl seated amidst several large, brightly coloured mask-like heads and gripping hands. The reason for Munch's decision to cover this earlier work with a new canvas remains a mystery, leaving room for speculation and interpretation.
Today, "Death and the Child" is housed in the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway, where it continues to captivate and intrigue viewers with its powerful subject matter, technical mastery, and the mysterious secrets it holds within its layers of paint.
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'Love Letters' by Richard King
"Love Letters" is a painting by Richard King that has gained a reputation as one of the most haunted paintings in the world. The story behind it involves a tragic event that took place at Austin's Driskill Hotel in 1887. US Senator Temple Lea Houston's four-year-old daughter, Samantha Houston, chased a ball down the grand staircase and fell to her death. The painting depicts a young girl holding flowers and a letter for her father, who was a soldier in the American Civil War and never returned. It is said that the girl in the painting bears an uncanny resemblance to Samantha Houston, and guests at the hotel have reported experiencing strange occurrences when encountering the artwork.
The original "Love Letters" painting was created by Charles Trevor Garland (1855-1906), and Richard King's version is a faithful modern replica. The painting was hung on the fifth floor of the Driskill Hotel, and people have reported feeling dizzy, nauseous, and experiencing strange sensations like being lifted off the ground when viewing it. Some guests have also claimed to see the girl's expression change when they look away or feel as though her eyes are watching them move. These phenomena have added to the hotel's already haunted reputation.
The painting's connection to the tragic death of Samantha Houston has led to speculation that her spirit inhabits the artwork. Paranormal enthusiasts believe that the resemblance between the girl in the painting and Samantha Houston is more than coincidental. The idea that a painting can hold a curse or be haunted taps into our collective fear of death and the unknown, captivating those who are drawn to the darker side of art.
Over the years, there have been various reports of paranormal activity and unexplained phenomena associated with "Love Letters." Some people have shared stories of feeling ill or experiencing strange sensations when viewing the painting, similar to the effects reported by guests at the Driskill Hotel. The painting's reputation as a haunted work of art has only grown with these accounts, solidifying its place among the most infamous haunted paintings in the world.
While some may dismiss these stories as mere superstition or imagination, the impact of "Love Letters" on popular culture and folklore cannot be overlooked. The painting has become a symbol of intrigue and fascination, attracting those who are curious about the unexplained and eager to uncover the truth behind its mysterious reputation. It continues to be a subject of discussion and speculation, with people debating the validity of the reported hauntings and trying to unravel the painting's enigma.
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'The Hands Resist Him' by Bill Stoneham
"The Hands Resist Him" is a painting created by artist Bill Stoneham in 1972. It depicts a young boy and a female doll standing in front of a glass-panelled door, against which many hands are pressed. The painting is inspired by a photograph of Stoneham himself at age five, taken in a Chicago apartment.
The artist explains the symbolism of the painting as follows: the doorway represents the line between the real world and the world of fantasy and impossibilities, the doll is a guide that will escort the boy through it, and the titular hands represent alternate lives or possibilities.
The painting became the subject of an urban legend and a viral internet meme in February 2000 when it was posted for sale on eBay with a description implying that it was haunted. The listing mentioned that the boy was getting out of the painting and the doll was coming to life. The story caught the attention of many, and "The Hands Resist Him" is now considered one of the world's most haunted pieces of art. Stoneham himself acknowledges that some of his paintings resonate with people in unexpected ways, opening inner doors.
Since the initial sale, Stoneham has painted three commissioned sequels/prequels to the original painting: "Resistance at the Threshold," "Threshold of Revelation," and "The Hands Invent Him." All four paintings can be viewed on Stoneham's website.
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Frequently asked questions
Haunted paintings are artworks that are believed to be haunted by spirits or ghosts, causing paranormal experiences for their owners or viewers.
Some well-known allegedly haunted paintings include "The Anguished Man", "The Hands Resist Him" (also known as the "eBay Haunted Painting"), "The Dead Mother", and a portrait of Spanish military officer Bernardo De Galvez.
Each painting has a unique story, but common themes include the use of unusual materials (such as the artist's blood), tragic events associated with the artist or the painting's subjects, and reports of paranormal activity, such as moving figures, whispering, and feelings of uneasiness or being watched.
Some haunted paintings are hanging in galleries or hotels, such as the Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas, and the Galvez Hotel in Texas. Others have been sold on eBay or passed down through families.
