'Antiques Roadshow' guest struggles to breathe after expert revealed the value of her oil portrait
Art is passed on and preserved as an inheritance through generations, but at times, those who get it from their relatives don't realize the significance behind a painting or a sculpture. When a woman showed up on “Antiques Roadshow” with a painting lying around in the house, she had no idea who the artist was. But when she learned about the story and value of the painting of a Native American woman, the guest couldn't stop her tears.
The woman's father-in-law used to work as a boilerman for the Carnegies of New York City, and this painting used to be in the Carnegie mansion. After Mr. and Mrs. Carnegie passed away, their daughter, Mrs. Miller, gifted the painting to the guest’s father-in-law. This was in 1946, the same year her husband was born, and he had been seeing it in his house ever since he was a kid.
However, he did not know who the painting was by. The guest said that she had moved a couple of years ago, and the painting had been in storage since then. She had forgotten to look at it and was surprised when she saw that it was of a woman. “I was surprised that it was a woman and not a man because that was my memory,” she said. It was now expert Tony Abeyta's job to educate the woman about the value of the art that she possessed. The first thing that he noticed was that the frame was original. The painting had never been taken out of it, which meant that it was in its original form. Abeyta then said that the subject was most likely a Taos Indian, who are Natives of the city of Taos in New Mexico.
The expert then revealed that it was an oil painting that was done with a model who posed for the painter. He also figured out that it was made sometime in the year 1900. Back then, painters from all over the country came to the Southwest, which had a Taos Art Colony. “You don’t have a signature or anything on the painting?” he then asked the guest. When she said no, the expert proved her wrong. “When I first saw it, I knew exactly who painted it,” Abeyta said. “All I had to do was look behind the dust in this area in here.” The words JH Sharp were written there, but a keen eye was required to figure that out. The full name of the painter was Joseph Henry Sharp, an Ohio native who is one of the most important artists when it comes to Taos Indian art.
It was then time to appraise the exquisite painting. Given the fact that it was in its original frame, never been taken out, and in fantastic condition, Abeyta believed that it could bring between $50,000 and $70,000. This was a lot more than what the guest was expecting, and she could not hold back her tears. “I can’t believe it. That’s amazing,” she said, tears in her eyes.
