A painting under the dust

I don't know anything about this painting. Who painted it? Is the scene depicted real or in the artist's mind? Was it painted for the artist's own home, or maybe as a gift? Was it sold?

We'll probably never know the answers. But, this painting has a completely different story to tell.

I bought it at an auction. It was filthy. Covered in dust and cobwebs. So much so, that I couldn't even really tell what the painting was.

I had bought it for the frame. Once I got it home, I picked it up to take the picture out to throw away. But, I started looking closer at the painting under the dust.

I could see potential. I wiped off what dust I could with a dry rag. Ah yes, definite potential.

I carefully cleaned the frame with a damp rag. The painting was still too dirty, so I actually used a damp rag on the oil painting as well. With a very light touch.

I'm sure there's a proper way to clean an original oil painting. I'm sure a damp cloth isn't it.

But, it worked.

As I was cleaning it, I thought about what a shame it was that this beauty ever ended up in a shed, or basement, or barn, or wherever it had spent enough years to accumulate so much dust.

I'm going to throw some advice out to whoever will listen: If you don't want something anymore, sell it. Or give it away.

Someone will want it. Someone will enjoy it.

I've bought some pieces this summer from a few different folks who had more vintage pieces than they could use. Pieces they liked, some were even family pieces. But, they simply didn't have room for all of them.

When they called me, they said they didn't want to just store them away, they wanted someone to enjoy them.

The painting has already sold to a man who bought it for his living room. I hope he gets years and years of enjoyment out of it!