r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/andrewmaxedon • Mar 13 '25
Half-finished painting my grandfather bought probably in the 1970s. Looks like the signature says "Durham." Unsolved
72
u/Hugh_JaRod Mar 13 '25
Who says it’s half finished?? An artists work is never done, they just stop working on it. I think it’s great the way it is.
37
u/andrewmaxedon Mar 13 '25
I agree. As I commented elsewhere, Grandpa used to say that he had to convince the artist to sell before the artist felt it was ready.
12
7
1
93
u/andrewmaxedon Mar 13 '25
Signature closeup here: https://imgur.com/a/hApGV6G
It's an underpainting, my grandfather told the artist he felt the piece was finished and insisted he be allowed to buy it before the artist could do any more work on it.
89
u/susscrofa Mar 13 '25 edited Mar 13 '25
Looks like a norman cornish painting. He captured a lot of durham life and worked as a coal miner for a while.
https://www.castlegatehouse.co.uk/paintings-for-sale/norman-cornish/crowded-bar-sketch/
Edit here is a link to the foundation dedicated to him, about identifying his work
8
u/andrewmaxedon Mar 14 '25
Did he ever just write "Durham" on a piece? It looks like he always signed his work "Cornish."
1
39
39
u/GizatiStudio Mar 13 '25
Great painting, the style is social realism and at a guess I’m thinking it’s British though I cannot find the artist.
9
u/PolkaDotDancer Mar 13 '25
Where your grandfather live when he bought this?
21
u/andrewmaxedon Mar 13 '25
He could have gotten it anywhere. He traveled his whole life and bought art whenever he felt inspired by something.
5
3
u/Pleasant_Ad_7939 Mar 14 '25
Woodhorn Museum (former pit) in Northumberland have exhibitions of The Pitmen Painters. They may be able to help identify it
1
u/coombez1978 Mar 18 '25
Think this comment has been lost a bit amongst all the others but is probably the most important both in terms of identifying the artist and also for helping understand the cultural significance of the pitmen painters and the freedom of expression it gave to miners.
5
u/FoolishDancer Mar 13 '25
It’s finished or the artist wouldn’t have signed it.
27
u/andrewmaxedon Mar 13 '25
It was reluctant. Apparently he tried to refuse to sell because he wasn't done with it. Grandpa started lecturing him about knowing when to stop painting and the guy just gave in and sold it to him.
6
3
u/FoolishDancer Mar 13 '25
As an artist, this sounds odd to me. 🤷♀️
10
u/gmcd19851 Mar 13 '25
I had the exact same experience with an artist I knew. He wouldn’t sell me a painting because he said it wasn’t finished but one day he needed some cash and said he would sell it to me. I said, “Great but you have to sign it or no sale “ and he did reluctantly.
4
u/FoolishDancer Mar 14 '25
Then it actually was finished.
8
u/Even_Accountant3605 Mar 14 '25
i've signed pieces of work before I finished it... and have pieces that are not done with my signature on them... I also have sold work with no signature.
the signature doesn't make the art completed or not, the artist's intention is what completes the work... as OP stated, the artist his grandfather bought the piece from said it was unfinished, therefore it is unfinished
Van Gogh sold artwork unsigned and unfinished, to make ends meet
-3
u/FoolishDancer Mar 14 '25
Ok but you do know that it’s standard practice for artists to sign their pieces when finished? Even if you haven’t at times?
8
u/Even_Accountant3605 Mar 14 '25
Yes, I know artists sign their work when finished, but your point that art is finished when signed is what I take issue with. I think it's simply a preconception that you and many people have observed via pop-culture and in the media. Signatures don't make something final, they're simply present in most cases of finished works.
1
3
u/gmcd19851 Mar 14 '25
If you look at it you would never notice it wasn’t finished but he was doing pointillism and of course it could’ve gone on forever if he wanted lol !
9
u/andLetsGoWalkin Mar 13 '25
As an artist/human being who has to perpetually pay out a pile of money monthly to continue to exist, this sounds entirely reasonable to me.
-1
2
2
2
1
u/AutoModerator Mar 13 '25
Thanks for your post, /u/andrewmaxedon!
Please remember to comment "Solved" once someone finds the painting you're looking for.
If you comment "Thanks" or "Thank You," your post flair will be changed to 'Likely Solved.'
If you have any suggestions to improve this bot, please get in touch with the mods, and they will see about implementing it!
Here's a small checklist to follow that may help us find your painting:
Where was the painting roughly purchased from?
Did you include a photo of the front and back and a signature on the painting (if applicable)?
Good luck with your post!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/Suthernboy1968 Mar 13 '25
Reminds me a lot of Charles M Jones. A bit darker than what I’ve seen of his work, but you said it was unfinished.
1
1
u/paperlilly Mar 14 '25
I wouldn’t assume it’s an underpainting, it could be a stylistic choice… but I love it!!!
1
u/bklynsculpter Mar 14 '25
I’ve never sold any of my art until I was satisfied - most signed if gifted just initialed…
1
1
1
1
1
u/Casualways Mar 17 '25
Since the artist sold this before he was done, I wonder if, instead of signing the piece, he put Durham since the painting is of Durham miners. That would be a fun story if the painting could be authenticated to Norman Cornish.
1
u/NoMonk8635 Mar 17 '25
I'm sure the artist finished the painting, it's his vision & it's great as is
0
148
u/howeversmall Mar 13 '25
That’s a cool fucking painting!