ANTIQUES ROADSHOW expert Charlotte Riordan left one visitor astonished as she valued a painting which the guest had spent her last £100 on years ago.
The Antiques Roadshow guest had brought along three paintings to be valued on this week’s hit Sunday night BBC show. It fell on art history expert Charlotte to analyse the artworks and reveal what they might be worth. One piece, in particular, was significant to the owner, who as a struggling actor had spent her last £100 on after dreaming of buying a piece by the artist. So when she discovered could be worth up to £8,000, she was speechless.
“So today you’ve brought us three very attractive paintings, and what connects them is that they are of women by women,” Charlotte explained.
She continued: “Three very significant Scottish female artists.
“The first you two, you can tell by the style of the clothing and the hair, they’re from the earlier half of the twentieth century, with the one to your right there being a little bit later on.”
“They were both impulses,” the passionate art enthusiast admitted. “I was looking around in a private gallery, she was on the floor, in front of a stack, and I just had to have her.
“I spent all my tax money and I drove home in tears – I was a bit hysterical.
“But every time we move house and she goes up on the wall, the room is just perfect.”
Detailing the characteristics of the paintings, Charlotte said: “So, this is a painting by the artist Cecile Walton.
“Now Cecile Walton was a good friend of this artist here which is by Dorothy Johnstone.
“They were both from artistic families. They were very unconventional and forward-thinking women, both feminists, set out to produce some progressive artwork.”
Turning to the last picture, Charlotte commented: “Now, this wonderful work is by one of my favourite practising artists today, which is Alison Watt.
“Now people that might know her mature style might be surprised indeed to learn that that is an Alison Watt because she’s very famously known for her very minimal almost abstract depictions of white folds of fabric and draping material.”