An Anonymous Painting  

Wedged in a cardboard box

An unexpected find within an auction lot

And not the painting bid for

Nor listed in the auction’s catalogue

With its broken frame and murky hue

 No doubt considered worthless

And thrown in with sundry frames

To make the job Lot 438

Peering through the blackened oils

A just discernible country scene emerges

An English rustic view with cottage

Trees and a cornfield with figure

Scything corn and adding to the gathered stooks

A river flows nearby with watery sky reflected

I wonder is this an actual scene

Or one created in the artist’s mind

All is beautifully painted but void of artist’s name

And probably nineteenth century or earlier

Sadly, colours dimmed by the smoke and grime of ages

I decide to clean the grimy scene with solvent

And dirt deposits removed with turpentine

Transformed the scene again becomes alive and vibrant

And vivid as on the day created

I marvel at the detail and artist’s skill revealed

To remain unsigned a mystery  

For the artist should be justly proud

With no need to hide in anonymity

The picture is now hung on the stairway wall

And I stare at it several times a day

As I ascend and descend the stairs

If the captured scene does now or once exist

Then I gaze at the very view

That the artist gradually and skilfully brought to life

Perhaps two hundred years ago

Indeed, an unexpected find

That will go on to rouse emotions and delight the eye