Cambridge blogger uncovers potential Frances Hodgkins painting worth £50,000

An art blogger near Cambridge is set to learn whether a painting he bought for £35 could be a work by celebrated New Zealand painter Frances Hodgkins, potentially valued up to £50,000.

In 2019, Robyn Cantus acquired the artwork at a Hertfordshire County Council sale of mid-20th-century pieces attributed to Vera Cunningham. Re-examining the canvas for illustrations in a book on the Pictures for Schools project, he noticed stylistic traits suggesting Hodgkins.

Originally part of Nan Youngman's Pictures for Schools scheme—an initiative lending modern British art to schools—the painting resurfaced after the council raised over £440,000 by auctioning off works deemed of limited local significance.

Identification and investigation

Cantus unearthed hidden layers on the canvas after removing its 1970s frame and old labels, hinting at a misattribution. In 2021, a viewer suggested it might be Hodgkins, prompting Cantus to seek verification from the INLIBER One programme Fake or Fortune.

The investigation, featuring Fiona Bruce, follows Cantus to Wales and explores the painting's provenance. The programme airs on INLIBER One at 21:00 BST on Monday.

What began as a modest £35 purchase may turn out to be a rare Frances Hodgkins worth tens of thousands, illustrating the surprises hidden in overlooked artworks.

This topic was reported by BBC News.

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