Is this painting an original?

[Debbelle]

I am trying to find out if this painting is original or a print, and what kind of value it may have if I try to sell it. This painting appears to be an oil painting, but, I've seen others out there that say they are prints. This one has raised paint on it as if it was an oil painting. It is large - approximately 4' x 5'. I love the painting, but too large for my space and think I should sell it. What is it's value? Thanks

[mart]

Take a closer shot of the front !!  Is it on canvas or cardboard ??  If canvas take a pic of the back !!  Who signed it ??

[bigwull]

this is a print....that has been applied to a canvas...then enhanced with acrylic paint..to give the appearance that it is a canvas.....value will depend on location....and finding a cat lover.....

[talesofthesevenseas]

I'm finding multiple cat paintings, this may be one of those paintings that are not prints, but mass-produced paintings? One is listed at $250, another at $1400:

http://www.mrbeasleys.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=940

http://junkgypsyblog.com/i-junk-therefore-i-am-our-motto-pink-saddles-to-tumbleweeds/

http://www.americanlisted.com/all_states_0/all_categories_0/cat+painting+letterman/

http://www.ebay.com/itm/letterman-painting-oil-cat-relaxing-/221209368390?ViewItem=&item=221209368390&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466&nma=true&si=cud6xrw%252F9sZonbZAuj%252BFNFeIrDM%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[mart]

Well, with at least three of the same listed on ebay for sale can be nothing but a textured print on canvas like Bigwull said !!

[Ipcress]

"  Large Signed Letterman Oil on Canvas Persian Cat  "

What does the cat say in Watership Down ?

' I think not. I think...not '

[talesofthesevenseas]

It's interesting that the listings list it as a painting and not a print. I know there are mass produced paintings that are made for hotels and for some of the sales where you see 'original' paintings sold at very low prices. They have a team of artists that do them, one guy does skys, anther guy paints waves etc. and they can produce large quantities of painted artwork. It's done like an assembly line. I remember seeing on Roadshow that you can tell these prints from paintings by looking at the edge of the canvas under the frame where the paint stops. If I remember correctly you'd see a perfectly straight line if it is a print, uneven brush strokes if it is original artwork. Is that correct?

[Ipcress]

Yeah, but if you have to look there then
a ) You're one of the cast in One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest
b ) It's an exceptional piece of work

Too many people selling something they know little about, too many people prepared to rip someone off.

[mart]

If you look at the texture showing in the pic you can see that its totally random !! No pattern and does not follow what is behind it !! Reason its on the painting is just to diffuse light so it won`t look flat !! If it was a flat surface it would reflect light and glare, texture on the surface decreases that glare !!  They did a similar texture to those 50`s and 60`s cardboard prints !!

[Rauville]

Compare with this one:

http://www.antoinetteart.net/its-cgi/pa/pa.cgi?overlord=View+Gallery&gallery_id=59616&gallery_catagory=Purrfection

Apparently done by an artist from Denton, Texas...named Antoinette...that signs with the name Letterman?

[mart]

Well. That settles that question !!

[Ipcress]

All these originals of the same work. Astonishing !  


Click on the other images in the gallery and it gives the size and a few different mediums of the subject matter. Not that one of the cat, though. Also, most of the other works have different signatures on them !

[talesofthesevenseas]

There's an interesting comment in a discussion on these paintings. The artist is Antoinette Letterman:

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Arts-and-Literature/Question256897.html

"The cat is called..Cashmere ..it was painted by Antoinette Letterman...www.ant oinetteart.net....i t is listed in her art gallery on the web...
People say that her painting was stolen and mass produced on silk screen by JC Penny in the 70's.

The silk screen paintings look like original paintings but in reality are not. This artist needs recognition....Hund reds of people love her paintings."

[mart]

I doubt that with todays copyright laws !! More likely either she is doing her own prints which many artists do or she sold the reproduction rights and gets a percentage of sales !! Both are common practice !!  Its extremely difficult to make a living as an artist and keep a roof over your head without it !!

[Ipcress]

Yes, and silkscreens would not look like that. They're used in contemporary / modern art, like linocuts etc.

If it is Antoinette Letterman, why are there various other signatures on her works listed in the gallery ?

People have been paying $400 for mass produced crap. Never ceases to amaze me.