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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Craig tilton7 on Tuesday 01 May 18 19:30 BST (UK)

Title: Does anyone recognise this British City?
Post by: Craig tilton7 on Tuesday 01 May 18 19:30 BST (UK)
(http://)

I have an old oil painting scene depicting a bombed British city most likely at the end of WWII

Does anyone recognise the City?
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this British City?
Post by: arthurk on Tuesday 01 May 18 19:44 BST (UK)
That's an interesting challenge. Is there any sign of an artist's name, either painted on or on a label on the back?

NB - I'm going to ask a moderator to move this to the Photo Recognition board, where there are lots of folk ready and willing to have a go at this sort of thing. (We do works of art too.)
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this British City?
Post by: Craig tilton7 on Tuesday 01 May 18 19:57 BST (UK)
Thank you for your reply.

There is no inscriptions on the Painting to help I am afraid.

The distinctive looking building on the right looks like a Water Tower. I have been searching the Internet, but cannot find the one in the image.

Please move if it might get more exposure elsewhere.
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this British City?
Post by: Jool on Tuesday 01 May 18 20:11 BST (UK)
I think it may be Plymouth, have a look here (particularly the first photo)

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01lzs/ 
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this British City?
Post by: Craig tilton7 on Tuesday 01 May 18 20:17 BST (UK)
Thank you

This makes perfect sense with the family history. They were
Devon based so they probably bought the painting locally.

Best wishes and thank you!
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this British City?
Post by: Jool on Tuesday 01 May 18 20:19 BST (UK)
Glad to be able to help Craig  :)
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this British City?
Post by: arthurk on Tuesday 01 May 18 20:31 BST (UK)
I think you're right.

Now I'm trying to see if I can find any similar works to get an idea who the artist might be. The closest I've got so far is Leighton Hall Woollatt, who painted bomb sites in Exeter, though the style seems rather different.
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this British City?
Post by: Craig tilton7 on Wednesday 02 May 18 05:08 BST (UK)
(http://)Thank you

I came across a little known Plymouth artist called Victor Lumas yesterday evening who painted the scenes in Plymouth after the Blitz.

The style seems quite similar to my Painting.
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this British City?
Post by: sarah on Wednesday 02 May 18 10:15 BST (UK)
Hi Craig,

I am a little concerned that the image the you posted maybe copyright ? Can you advice further.

Regards

Sarah
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this British City?
Post by: arthurk on Wednesday 02 May 18 11:14 BST (UK)
First, if the image recently posted turns out to be copyright, that and others by Victor Lumas can be found at
http://www.cyber-heritage.co.uk/history/victor.htm

I don't know a lot about art, but would hazard a couple of observations:

Is the image you first posted a true representation of the colours of the original? Compared to the Lumas pictures there seems to be a narrower range of colours, though by tweaking the contrast and saturation on yours I can get something more similar.

Also, the brush strokes in yours, particularly in the sky and the building on the right, don't seem to match  the Lumas works.

What might be helpful would be to contact the chap behind the site with the pictures to ask for his opinion. He is evidently a Lumas fan, maybe also an expert, and there appears to have been contact with some of his descendants.