In a small pastel bought an American flea market along with trinkets less than $ 50, the expert identified the "Landscape banks of the Seine," in 1879, mentioned in the catalog-reason Renoir

Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Landscape banks of the Seine. 1879
Source: nytimes.com

Do you want to - believe it and want - no, but the flea market in the U.S. once again for "penny" was able to buy a worthwhile piece of art. Random purchase at the flea market turned a big success for residents of the Shenandoah Valley (Virginia), who wishes to keep his identity a secret.

On Sale American got less than $ 50 (according to another source - for $ 7) doll lumberjack Paul Bunyan (the hero of American folklore), a plastic cow and a small bed size 14 x 22.9 cm According to the laws of the genre buyers initially attracted beautiful frame, which she hoped to use in any way. And, of course, any time an unidentified masterpiece collecting dust at the new owner in a bag of trinkets in a garage, the kitchen. And, of course, she was already trying to pull out of the bed frame to get rid of it in its understanding of "junk", but stopped her mother posovetovshaya painting attributed to the examination.

What if she worth something? - Thought the woman, and went to a specialist auction house virgin Potomack Company Anne Norton Kraner (Anne Norton Craner). That, of course, it was enough just looking at pastel, to realize that this is a genuine Renoir. Especially when you consider that the frame was a plate with the artist's name. And on the back side of the label had a French gallery again with the name and the name Renoir pastel «Paysage Bords de Seine» - «Landscape banks of the Seine." Digging in the catalog-Raisonné of the artist, Anna Norton Kraner found a job in 1879 with the same title.

After further research at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, and in consultation with an expert on the works of Renoir, Kraner finally is satisfied that the work is authentic. If you believe the results of the research of Anne Norton Kraner, the Renoir's "Landscape banks of the Seine" in the 1920s belonged to the Paris gallery Bernheim-Jeune (its shortcut is available on the back). In 1925, the work was purchased by Herbert Meem (Herbert May), the well-known collector of husband and patron of the Maryland Sadie Mae A. (Sadie A. May). The last mention of pastels relates to 1926, and then lost her trail up to this wonderful discovery at a flea market. How pastel Pierre-Auguste Renoir could get from a famous private collection to the flea market, auction house expert Virginia say difficult. And a happy owner of "Landscape banks of the Seine," and can not think about how to leave work at home. Just the thought of it scares her. Let them get a better bed to anyone who can care for it properly, says the anonymous shopper. "Landscape banks of the Seine" auctioned Potomack Company on September 29 with an estimate of 75 to 100 thousand dollars.

Prepared Maria Onuchina, AI

Sources : bbc.co.uk , artinvestment.ru