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Sept. 20 (UPI) — In a remarkable turn of events, a painting that was purchased from a thrift store in New Hampshire for a mere $4 has been auctioned off for an astounding $191,000. This unexpected windfall occurred when it was revealed that the painting was actually a long-lost masterpiece by renowned artist N.C. Wyeth.
The painting, titled Ramona, was originally created by Wyeth for a 1939 edition of Helen Hunt Jackson’s classic novel Ramona. The artwork depicts a young woman who finds herself caught between the conflicting emotions of her foster mother and her own desires.
In a surprising twist, the painting was considered lost by experts in the field of Wyeth’s work until it resurfaced in the possession of a woman from New Hampshire. This lucky individual had purchased the painting from a local thrift store, where it had been priced at just $4. After spending some time hanging on her wall, the painting eventually found its way into a closet.
The woman’s discovery of the painting’s true identity came about when she decided to share a photo of it on Facebook. Through the power of social media, she was encouraged to reach out to curators at the Brandywine Museum in Pennsylvania and a former Wyeth curator named Lauren Lewis in Maine.
Once the painting’s authenticity had been verified, the woman made the decision to have it auctioned off. Bidders were highly interested in acquiring this lost masterpiece, and a final bid of $150,000 was placed. With premiums and fees factored in, the painting ultimately sold for an astonishing $191,000.
While the painting’s journey before ending up in the thrift store remains a mystery, Bonhams Skinner, the auction house responsible for the sale, speculated that it could have been gifted to the book’s publisher by Wyeth’s estate.
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