Art and the value of Paintings

The painting above is not one of mine but as I had been talking about values and prices of paintings I thought it appropriate to post it.

The painting is by a fine artist called Clive Richard Browne (1901-1991) a Norfolk artist whose work is represented  in the National Collection and County Art Galleries. I don't generally buy contemporary works but I do occasionally buy a painting that takes my fancy. The painting above is in my studio and I bought it for £40. It is oil on canvas in a wooden frame app 26in x 20 ins.  The artist is not particularly well known these days and the shabby gilt and plaster frame didn't help it when I bought it from a dealer.

Never the less it is a far better painting than you could get for many times that amount these days. A British Impressionist from the Norfolk School. I bought it because I liked the work. Because it is not very valuable I felt no great shame in taking the frame off it and pressure washing all the plaster and gilt off it and painting it dark brown.

It could do with a clean and restoring but the cost wouldn't justify it. I have in the past touched up paintings for people. I am not an expert and would n't do it on a painting of any value. Although with all due modesty the matching was pretty good and would have needed an expert to locate it.

So my point it is possible to pay a fortune for a poor painting and buy an excellent one for next to nothing.
Price doesn't necessarily guarantee value or quality.
Despite what anyone says paintings are simple ~ what you see is what you get ~
Anyway today I did finish my still life barring any final details. So life is slowly returning to normal.