Elena Rossi
In 2008, a watercolour painting by Winslow Homer, titled 'Children Under a Palm Tree', was discovered on the BBC programme 'Fake or Fortune?'. The painting was initially found near a rubbish tip in Ireland in 1987 by fisherman Tony Varney, who gave it to his daughter Selina. The work was then valued at £30,000 on 'Antiques Roadshow' and later at a quarter of a million dollars by Sotheby's. However, just before the sale, a rival claim of ownership emerged from the Murray family, descendants of Sir Henry Blake, whose children were the subjects of the painting. As a result, the ownership of the painting became disputed, with both the finder's and the original owner's families laying claim to it. The dispute continued for several years, with the Murray family suing Sotheby's for the return of the painting.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Painting | Children Under a Palm (or Children Under a Palm Tree) |
| Artist | Winslow Homer |
| Year of Creation | 1885 |
| Medium | Watercolour and pencil |
| Dimensions | 14 inches by 20 inches |
| Subjects | Three children of Sir Henry Blake, colonial governor of the Bahamas: Olive Blake, Maurice Blake, and Arthur Blake |
| Discovery | Found near a rubbish dump in Ireland in 1987 by fisherman Tony Varney |
| Identification | Attributed to Winslow Homer by Philip Mould on Antiques Roadshow in 2008 |
| Valuation | £30,000 by Philip Mould; over $100,000 by Sotheby's |
| Ownership Dispute | Claimed by Simon Murray, great-grandson of Sir Henry Blake, on behalf of the Blake family; disputed by Selina Varney (finder) and Clifford Schorer (who claimed it was used as loan security) |
| Current Status | Under lock and key in Sotheby's New York; ownership still in legal dispute as of 2013 |
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What You'll Learn
- A watercolour painting by Winslow Homer was found near a rubbish tip in Ireland
- The painting was identified on the Antiques Roadshow and valued at £30,000
- The finder's daughter attempted to sell it at Sotheby's New York, but a rival claim of ownership was made
- The painting's ownership is disputed by several parties, including the Blake family and the Murrays
- The finder and the original owners could offer the painting to a museum and split the proceeds
A watercolour painting by Winslow Homer was found near a rubbish tip in Ireland
Winslow Homer, considered one of the greatest American painters of the 19th century, was a self-taught artist who began his career as a commercial illustrator. In the 1880s, he became more reclusive and even lived in a lighthouse on an island for a while. During this time, he travelled to the Bahamas, where he attended a fancy dress party hosted by Sir Henry Blake, the colonial governor. Homer sketched a watercolour painting of Sir Henry Blake's children, dressed in Arabian costumes. This painting, titled "Children Under a Palm", was found near a rubbish tip in Ireland in 1987 by a fisherman named Tony Varney. Varney gave the painting to his daughter, Selina, and they took it to the BBC TV programme "Antiques Roadshow" in 2008, where it was identified as a work by Winslow Homer. The painting was then featured on the programme "Fake or Fortune".
"Children Under a Palm" was valued at £30,000 on "Antiques Roadshow", but Sotheby's in New York valued it at over $100,000. The painting was put up for auction by Sotheby's, but a legal battle over its ownership ensued. Simon Murray, the great-grandson of Sir Henry Blake, claimed ownership of the painting on behalf of his family, stating that it had been stolen during a series of robberies in the 1980s. Selina Varney was offered a percentage of the sale proceeds as a "finder's fee", but she rejected the offer. As of 2018, the court battle over the ownership of the painting was still ongoing, with multiple claimants emerging.
The story of the lost Winslow Homer painting, rescued from a rubbish tip in Ireland and then identified and valued on "Antiques Roadshow", is certainly a fascinating one. It highlights the unexpected places where valuable artworks can be found and the complex legal battles that can ensue over their ownership. The case also raises questions about the role of dealers and collectors in inflating the prices of artworks by bidding on them at auction.
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The painting was identified on the Antiques Roadshow and valued at £30,000
The painting, titled 'Children Under a Palm' or 'Children Under a Palm Tree', was identified on the 'Antiques Roadshow' and valued at £30,000. It was found by Tony Varney while fishing in Ireland in 1987, just outside a rubbish dump. He gave the painting to his daughter, Selina Varney (now Rendall). In 2008, they took it to a recording of 'Antiques Roadshow', where it was identified by Philip Mould as a work by Winslow Homer and valued at £30,000.
Homer is regarded by many as the greatest American painter of the 19th century. He was born in Boston in 1836 and later settled in New York. 'Children Under a Palm' was painted in the Bahamas in 1885 and depicts the three children of Sir Henry Blake, the colonial governor of the Bahamas at the time. They were attending a fancy dress party in Arabian costume, alongside Winslow Homer, who sketched the children at the request of Lady Blake.
Following its appearance on 'Antiques Roadshow', the painting was taken to New York to be sold by Sotheby's, who confirmed the attribution and valued it at over $100,000. However, a dispute over the ownership of the painting arose, with Simon Murray, the great-grandson of Sir Henry Blake, claiming ownership on behalf of the family. Despite initial negotiations, an agreement could not be reached, and the painting's ownership remained disputed as of 2013, with Shirley Rountree, a descendant of Sir Henry Blake, suing Sotheby's for its return.
The journey of 'Children Under a Palm' from a rubbish dump in Ireland to its eventual valuation and ownership dispute highlights the intriguing and often complex world of art discovery and attribution.
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The finder's daughter attempted to sell it at Sotheby's New York, but a rival claim of ownership was made
In 1987, Tony Varney found Winslow Homer's "Children Under a Palm" (or "Children Under a Palm Tree") near a rubbish dump in Ireland. Varney gave the painting to his daughter, Selina Varney (now Rendall). In 2008, they took it to a recording of Antiques Roadshow, where it was identified as a work by Winslow Homer and valued at £30,000.
Selina decided to sell the painting at Sotheby's New York. However, just before the sale, a rival claim of ownership was made by Simon Murray, the great-grandson of Sir Henry Blake, whose children were the subjects of the painting. Murray claimed that the painting had been stolen from his family during a series of robberies in the 1980s.
Sotheby's responded that they had contacted the Murrays as part of their due diligence and were told that the family had no record of owning a painting by Winslow Homer. However, Murray denied this, saying that his family was unaware of the sale until they saw a report in the newspaper.
Selina rejected an offer of 30% of the sale proceeds as a "finder's fee" and the sale was withdrawn, as Sotheby's could not guarantee a good title to any potential buyer. The painting was then placed on the Art Loss Register, and ownership remained disputed as of 2013, with the Murrays suing Sotheby's for the return of the painting.
In November 2013, a new claimant, Clifford Schorer, emerged, stating that the painting had been used as security for a loan he made to Selina and that he was now entitled to it. The ownership dispute continued to play out in the courts, with no clear resolution presented in the sources.
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The painting's ownership is disputed by several parties, including the Blake family and the Murrays
The ownership of Winslow Homer's "Children Under a Palm" (or "Children Under a Palm Tree") has been disputed by several parties, including the Blake family and the Murrays. The painting was found by Tony Varney while fishing in Ireland in 1987, just outside a rubbish dump. Varney gave the painting to his daughter, Selina Varney (now Rendall). In 2008, they took it to the Antiques Roadshow, where it was identified as a work by Winslow Homer and valued at £30,000.
The Blake family, descendants of Sir Henry Blake, whose children are depicted in the painting, claimed ownership of the painting. Simon Murray, the great-grandson of Sir Henry Blake, offered Selina Varney 25% of the sale proceeds as a "finder's fee," which she rejected. On the day of the sale, Murray changed his mind and offered 30%, but without an agreement, he withdrew his support for the sale.
The painting was then placed on the Art Loss Register, a commercial company based in London that charges a fee to register stolen paintings. The Blake family believes it disappeared from Myrtle Grove after a series of robberies in the 1980s, although there are conflicting reports about whether a crime was reported.
In October 2013, the London Evening Standard reported that Shirley Rountree, Simon Murray's mother and a descendant of Sir Henry Blake, was suing Sotheby's for the return of the painting. A new claimant, Clifford Schorer, also emerged, stating that the painting was used as security for a loan he made to Selina Rendall (formerly Varney) and that he was now entitled to it.
The ownership dispute has sparked discussions about the ethics of art ownership and the complexities of proving provenance. Some have suggested that both the finders and the original owners could offer the painting to a museum and split the proceeds, ensuring that the artwork can be enjoyed by the public.
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The finder and the original owners could offer the painting to a museum and split the proceeds
The Homer painting in question, titled "Children Under a Palm" or "Children Under a Palm Tree", was found by Tony Varney near a rubbish tip in Ireland in 1987. Varney gave the painting to his daughter, Selina Varney (now Rendall). In 2008, they took it to the Antiques Roadshow, where it was identified as a work by Winslow Homer, valued at £30,000. The painting was later featured on the BBC TV programme "Fake or Fortune?", where its journey to prove its provenance in England, America, and the Bahamas was documented. It was eventually valued at close to a quarter of a million dollars.
The painting's ownership has been disputed, with multiple parties claiming rights to it. The Blake family, descendants of Sir Henry Blake, whose children are depicted in the painting, claimed ownership. Simon Murray, the great-grandson of Sir Henry Blake, initially offered Selina Varney 25% of the sale proceeds as a "finder's fee", which she rejected. On the day of the sale, Murray increased his offer to 30%, but without an agreement, he withdrew his support for the sale.
Amid the dispute, the painting was placed on the Art Loss Register and held by Sotheby's. In November 2013, a new claimant, Clifford Schorer, emerged, stating that the painting was used as security for a loan he made to Selina Rendall (formerly Varney). As of 2013, ownership of the painting remained unresolved, with legal action being pursued by various parties.
Given the complexities of the situation, a potential solution proposed by some is for the finder, Selina Rendall, and the original owners, the Blake family, to offer the painting to a major American museum and split the proceeds. This solution ensures that the painting is accessible to the public, honouring the artistic legacy of Winslow Homer, while also providing financial benefits to be shared between the involved parties.
While this solution may seem ideal, it is important to recognise that all parties must voluntarily agree to this arrangement. Each individual involved has their own interests and motivations, and not all may be inclined to prioritise the public display of the artwork over personal financial gain or the retention of the painting within their possession. Nonetheless, with a spirit of compromise and a willingness to collaborate, this proposed solution could bring a satisfactory resolution to the conflicting claims surrounding the valuable and historically significant Winslow Homer painting.
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Frequently asked questions
The painting is called 'Children Under a Palm' (or 'Children Under a Palm Tree'). It is a watercolour painting executed in 1885.
The painting was found near a rubbish tip in Ireland in 1987 by a fisherman named Tony Varney.
Tony Varney gave the painting to his daughter, Selina Varney (now Rendall). In 2008, they took it to a recording of Antiques Roadshow, where it was identified as a work by Winslow Homer. It was later featured on Fake or Fortune.
The painting was put up for auction at Sotheby's, but a legal dispute over ownership emerged between the Varney/Rendall family and the Murray/Blake family, descendants of Sir Henry Blake. As of 2013, the ownership of the painting was still being disputed in court.
