Venice canal
It’s an original painting of a Venice canal. I know it was purchased between 1998 and 2001 and was purchased at the time for about $5,000. I’m pretty sure it’s oil on canvas although I’m positive you’d know better. With the frame it’s about 56”x31”. The biggest problem is I don’t know who the artist is.
My mother owned it before me. I don’t have much further information
Inherited
Yes
Hi Dan,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.
While the signature is a little different, this could be the work of Anne Champeaux, a 20th Century French artist whose sweeping French urban landscapes are quite similar to this scene of a Venetian canal.
Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:
attributed to Anne Champeaux (French, 20th century)
Untitled Venice canal scene
oil on canvas
31 by 56 inches
signed lower right
CONDITION: appears to be in good condition
PROVENANCE: inherited
$1,000-1,500*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.
Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, and thank you again for using Mearto.
Good morning, Dan,
Our support department forwarded on the following message:
I don’t know how you possibly came up with the signature as belonging to that artist “Anne Champeaux” after having received your appraisal I went and looked not only her signature but also her artwork, not of which remotely resembles my painting. There are several dozen easily accessible pieces of her work and again not even a remote similarity. Did you just guess? Why did I pay for this?
I can understand your frustration and want to reassure you that I did not, in fact, guess at the artist but rather spent more than an hour going through the artist database AskArt. I don't have the benefit of being in front of the painting as you do, and have to take your word that Anne Champeaux's works don't resemble yours; they did from the photos I was working off of.
It's not uncommon in the industry to evaluate paintings with indistinct signatures as simply from a general school (in this case, Italian School, 20th Century) and to put a decorative value on it, likely less than the $1,000-1,500 I appraised it at (in this case, or in the case of an unsigned Venetian canal painting of this size without an artist signature would have a value of $400-600 or $500-700. We try to have a higher standard than that at Mearto but sometimes even our educated eye and expertise falls short of client expectations.
I would be happy to seek a second opinion from another paintings specialist at Mearto for their thoughts. Alternatively, we can refund your money.
Please advise on next steps...