Elusive Artist Tracked Down To Remote Island
A mysterious portrait sparked a search for an artist which led to a remote island off the west coast of Ireland.
The picture, entitled self portrait 1986, was discovered recently in a Manchester storage facility where it had laid wrapped in brown paper for more than ten years after its previous owner was declared bankrupt.
It was passed to auctioneers in the plant and machinery division of King Sturge international property consultants who were asked to discover its origins and value.
King Sturge senior associate Gary Harper, who is more used to selling off factory equipment and industrial fittings, was baffled when he was first handed the portrait.
Looking closely at the canvas he made out a barely legible signature at the bottom of the frame – Ian Humphreys.
Internet investigations then revealed that Ian Humphreys was the name of a very well respected modern artist who recently exhibited at The National Theatre in London and whose recent work, mostly seascapes, change hands for several thousand pounds each.
Examples of his work are in many private and public collections including Allied Irish Bank, Burma Castrol, British Rail Board, Glaxo Smith Kline and Trinity College, University of Cambridge.
“The question facing me,” said Gary, “was, did Ian Humphreys the well-regarded modern artist create this self portrait, or was someone else responsible? For all I knew it could have been a coincidence or even a fake.”
Gary continued digging. He found out that Ian Humphreys had been born in Hertfordshire in 1956 and completed a degree in fine art at Exeter in 1979. But after that the trail went cold.
Gary said: “Eventually I found some biographical information at a gallery which had exhibited the artist’s work. It turns out Mr Humphrey’s had left the UK some years ago and had gone to live on a tiny island off the coast of Cork called Heir.”
Heir island, population 25, must make an inspiring base for an artist. With place names like Roaring Water Bay and Cape Clear, it certainly sounds like a decent spot to pitch an easel.
Gary said: “I still had to find out if the portrait was genuine. With no phone number or email address for the artist I had to out pen to paper and write a good old fashioned letter.
“So I enclosed a snap of the picture and an SAE and I wrote asking Mr Humphreys to verify the painting and say something of the inspiration behind it.”
Gary placed his letter in an envelope marked simply, Ian Humphreys, Artist, Heir Island, Cork, Irish Republic.
Gary added: “In such a small community I was sure the postie would be able to find him!”
It turned out Gary was right. A week later he received a reply from the artist’s representative Melanie Hann.
Ms Hann wrote: “This was part of a body of work exploring the theme of the figure within a landscape and the role of the illusive masked figure, and the figure as an object, set within the stage of a landscape.
“This has been a recurring theme throughout Ian’s career and is linked to his still life work and indeed is reminiscent in his present day seascapes.”
With the picture’s provenance now established Self Portrait 1986 could soon change hands again. Gary will sell the piece at an online auction beginning on 5 May and closing at 1pm on May 6.
Gary said: “I have enjoyed the process of investigating this portrait and tracking down the artist to his remote island. It’s been a pleasant change from the industrial sales that I oversee.”
Interested parties can view the portrait at King Sturge’s Manchester office on 1 May or by appointment. For more information please visit www.kingsturge.co.uk.