“From Trash to Treasure: A New York Dumpster Diver Uncovers a Hidden Masterpiece by an 18th-Century Art Legend”
Now, the unexpected find is set to go up for auction.
Finding The George Romney Sketch In A New York Dumpster
Hudson, New York, is known as an artist’s town. But the discovery of the George Romney sketch in a local dumpster still came as an utter shock.
The dumpster diver, who has chosen to remain anonymous, was rifling through garbage when they noticed the pen-and-ink drawing. As an antiques enthusiast, they were drawn to the simple sketch. Not only was the art itself impressive, but it looked official, with the label “G. Romney” on its mount and the artist’s studio stamp on the back.
Roseberys LondonThe back of the George Romney sketch.
“When I first found it buried in the dumpster, it looked interesting but I had no idea it was nearly 300 years old,” the anonymous local said in a statement reported by Artnet. “After taking it home and doing some research, I couldn’t believe it. How did this mid-18th century drawing from England end up in the trash in upstate New York?”
Indeed, experts soon connected the sketch to George Romney, an 18th-century British artist whose portraits are prized at museums across the world. Now, it’s set to be auctioned by Roseberys London. However, some questions about the drawing remain.
The Mysterious Origin Of The George Romney Sketch
Public DomainHenrietta, Countess of Warwick, and Her Children (1787-1789) is part of the Frick Collection.
Based on a note on the back of the artwork, experts believe that the George Romney sketch is of Henrietta Greville, Countess of Warwick. They suspect that the drawing was a preliminary design for a formal portrait of Greville, which happens to be held at the Frick, just over 100 miles away in New York City.
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