'Antiques Roadshow' expert has an unusual request for viewers after guest brings a vintage painting
Experts on "Antiques Roadshow" are usually the ones who shed light on the provenance and true value of the items that guests hardly have any idea about. But at times, even they are stunned by artifacts that they come across, and could also get the value wrong. Something like that happened with an item that left expert Alexandra Gill, who in the end had to make a plea to the viewers to better understand it. It was a painting by popular artist Riccardo Meacci, whose subject was beyond the comprehension of Gill. Nevertheless, she was able to gauge the item's value as she appraised it at £1500 or approximately $2,000.
The guest brought a striking painting that caught the attention of Gill straight away. "It's incredibly unusual!" she exclaimed before asking the owner a little about the background of the artwork. The guest shared that the painting was placed in the 'All Saints Church' for at least the last 50 years, and it was from a Sienese artist called Riccardo Meacci.
Gill noted that Meacci was "quite an unusual artist," which made the artwork even more fascinating. "He worked in Siena, so it's unusual to find it over here. From a distance, you'd think this was much earlier, but the artist was born in the 1850s and died in the 1930s," she explained. Coming to the painting, Gill added that it had "a very Pre-Raphaelite feel about it" and the artist paid great attention to detail.
"But I think what really gets me is this botanical! It's really detailed, little daisies down here, and that's very Pre-Raphaelite," she said. However, Gill was totally amiss on the subject of the painting. "I'd love to know what the subject is. I've got a few guesses. One is, it could be St. George, with the cross of St. George, obviously, on his pennant. And also, there's a crown on the helmet, which suggests he's more than just a knight," she added. However, she told the guest that she couldn't be sure, as St. George was heavily patronized outside Italy by European nobility, so to find him as the subject of a painting is rare. After the viewing, Gill urged the viewers to share any information they may have on the item that explained its subject.
Coming to the appraisal, Gill noted that the painting had a bit of damage around the edges and wasn't in the best condition. "It has faded a little bit. So, the blues would probably have been a bit brighter, and the reds. But I would have thought, at auction, with this wonderful original frame, you're probably talking something in the region of £1000 to £1,500 (~$1,300 to $2,000)." The guest, who was taken aback by the details and the appraisal, could only say, "Hmm" in response to the figure.
In the end, Gill thanked the guest for bringing the fascinating item, saying, "It's really unusual. Thank you very much for bringing it in."
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