BBC Show Authenticates Katherine Read Portrait Worth Over £100,000
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 23
BBC Show Authenticates Katherine Read Portrait Worth Over £100,000
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 23
Summary
An 18th-century portrait inherited by Mary-Louise Wedderburn has been confirmed on BBC's Fake or Fortune as a genuine Katherine Read work and is now valued at more than £100,000.
Technical analysis from the Courtauld, comparisons with other Read paintings, and family letters and wills led experts to attribute the work to the Scottish artist with certainty.
Charles Greig said the sitter was likely a member of the Nawab of Arcot's family in Madras, making the portrait highly unusual for depicting an Indian woman from a royal court rather than a European household.
The work is thought to be the earliest recorded painting of an Indian sitter by a European female artist, adding to efforts to restore Read's reputation after many women artists were forgotten or misattributed.
A forgotten artist once out-earned male rivals. Can her rediscovered Indian portrait now rewrite art history?
Beyond its £100,000 value, what secrets does this portrait of a mysterious Indian royal reveal?
Landmark BBC Authentication of Katherine Read’s Indian Portrait Rewrites Art History for Women Artists
Overview
A major discovery was made when a BBC program authenticated a significant antique painting as the work of Scottish artist Katherine Read. A team of experts acted as art detectives, uncovering the painting’s true origins and revealing Read’s adventurous character and her extensive travels, including a journey to Chennai, India. The portrait depicts an Indian woman, prompting experts to consider whether she was a court dancer or a wife in the zenana, a private palace area. This authentication not only adds to Read’s known works but also highlights her unique perspective as a female artist with rare access to such subjects.