Any Art Aficionados out there?? Id my Seurat...

[withoutink]

I must preface this post by saying, I am not certain if this is 100% real or not. It was from my father who passed away, my dad was a recluse of sorts and was known to collect art. He had some really nice things throughout his life. Sadly, most of which I have no idea where they are now.

Anyway, what I do know is that this IS from the 1800's (that much was ID'd by either Sothebys or Christies). What I do not know is if Seurat was the person who made it for certain, although the piece is signed Seurat.

Does anyone know how I can find out f I own a painting that might be worth a few million $$$ (or more)? This piece is currently locked up nice and tight in an extremely secure location - just in case. Oh, and no way in hell am I PIF'ing it =)

The girl in it looks very much like one from the famous "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte"

Here are some pictures:

 

[ClubmanRob]

It looks old, it must be real.

Congrats, hopefully it is the real deal. If so, I expect some monetary compensation for helping you identify it.

 

[Commander Quan]

It looks old, it must be real.

+1

Congrats, hopefully it is the real deal. If so, I expect some monetary compensation for helping you identify it.

+1

 

[withoutink]

I know someone here must have an actual connection. I was told to bring it to / have it ID'd in france, but no way in hell is it leaving this country.

 

[Bushranger]

one of the more unusual posts I've seen here.

Matt, from what little I know about the fine arts, you must contract a credentialled and recognised professional to view your piece. If it be in France, that is your option...as is flying out the expert/team if they are accepting of this. "Hell" or not, I can't see a reason for it not to visit France. France is wonderful.

Nice to have this (Seurat or not) to remember your father's appreciation of art each time you look upon it.

 

[moshulu]

There is certainly no need to go to France or to bring anyone over. There are plenty of experts in the US, not to mention Sothebys and Christies, who offer free assessments. If I were you, I would simply call the curators at the Art Institute of Chicago, home of the best known Seurat painting. Make sure you have some high-quality jpegs that you can email them.

If you have looked at some web sources, and at a copy of the genuine signature:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Autographs_of_painters
http://www.georgesseurat.org/

then you know that your painting is very different in style and sensibility from the mature work of Georges Surat. It looks more like something that gets sold to tourists in Montmartre. But who knows? It certainly is worth a few phone calls...

Good luck.

 

[withoutink]

Thanks, I know Sothebys or Christies verified the piece to be from the 1800's. They also mentioned someone in france that might be able to positively identify.

One other appraiser said that the piece looked to have been started then may have sat dormant for awhile, then finished at a later date. He too agreed it was from around the 1800's.

 

[Lynchmeister]

Nice!

Seurat's work had a profound impression on me and "Sunday afternoon on the island of La Grande Jatte" is by far and away my favorite work of art, period.

A couple friends of mine got married in Milwaukee a few years ago, so my wife and I drove out for the wedding. The day after, we we woke up with a hankering for pizza and decided to take a detour through Chicago. While there, we also stopped into the Art Institute. I remember meandering around, kinda lagging behind my wife and checking everything out, when she just stopped dead in her tracks, peering into a side room, which contained "Sunday...." I caught up to her and we both stood there for a while, just taking it in. It really is something to see.

 

[The Nid Hog]

I agree that the Art Institute of Chicago is a good place to start. If you don't get anywhere with them, try the closest reputable university. Go to the website of the art history department and look for a modern European expert. They might give you a preliminary evaluation, but they are likely to also recommend you to a pro, who will probably charge you some $$ to have a look at it.

Good luck--let us know what comes of this.

 

[rabelais99]

Thanks, I know Sothebys or Christies verified the piece to be from the 1800's. They also mentioned someone in france that might be able to positively identify.

One other appraiser said that the piece looked to have been started then may have sat dormant for awhile, then finished at a later date. He too agreed it was from around the 1800's.

Interesting post!

Can I assume that since you're not sure about Sotheby's or Christie's doing the appraisal that this info has come to you second hand? Often pieces come down through a family with a 'history' attached to them. Sometimes its accurate, and sometimes not.

If the appraisals were done by someone else, I suggest that you call around and find someone who will look at the work (local fine art institute or university).

A local expert may not be able to tell you definitively what the work is, but they should be able to tell you what the work is not. If they feel that the work may be the real thing they will likely want to take detailed photos to send to a spe......t.

Good Luck!

---------------------
alan

 

[The Nid Hog]

Why is it that we can't type the word "spe......t?" I changed mine to expert instead. Is there some perverse meaning that I'm not familiar with?

Ah--now I see. Once I typed it in again, the reason became as plain as the...er...nose on my face.

 

[ClubmanRob]

Why is it that we can't type the word "spe......t?" I changed mine to expert instead. Is there some perverse meaning that I'm not familiar with?

Ah--now I see. Once I typed it in again, the reason became as plain as the...er...nose on my face.

It's these damned so......t dictators what keeps a censorin' muh posts.

 

[airplanedoc]

I believe there is a Dali museum in Tampa. You might give them a call and speak with a curator, I would assume they wold be able to recommend you to a knowlegeable person on your particular piece. I am thinking that most people in that field probably run in a small circle.

My next best guess would be to speak with the Chicago Art Institute, they would without a doubt be able to point you in the right direction, most likley to themselves.

 

[withoutink]

Thanks for all the replies gents. Ill give a call to the Dali museum in Tampa, since they are probably the closest.

 

[TimmyBoston]

You will need to have this professionally authenticated. This is above even the lofty heights of what B&B can do.

 

[hrnfrg]

The University of Illinois has three catalogue raisonnes for Seurat (these, presumably, contain a photograph and description of all his works). I would call them and see if you could check them out or if they have them online.

Not to burst your bubble, but the work does not appear to be in his pointillist style. It is a lovely painting and if the date you have been given is correct, it maybe from one of his students. Or at least someone who appreciated his style.

 

[withoutink]

Thanks, I will contact them - No bubble to burst really =)

 

[Ken]

Seurat's work had a profound impression on me and "Sunday afternoon on the island of La Grande Jatte" is by far and away my favorite work of art, period.

There is a large topiary of this in downtown Columbus, OH. You can actually walk through the "painting."

Ken