Thanks to MRMIDIAN for this story…
A painting by Austin Osman Spare featured in a mainstream UK BBC television programme, The Antiques Roadshow, today:
“This strange painting was done by an artist and philosopher, described by George Bernard Shaw as ‘England’s greatest draftsman’ when he first came across his work. A friend of the infamously wicked occult figure Aleister Crowley, his weirdly beautiful artwork has found an audience among those interested in “outsider” art. He was a war artist during WW1, and was enjoying glittering career by the 1920s, his work was popular with intellectuals and the smart set in London. However, he disappeared into obscurity after being bombed and badly injured during the Blitz. This painting dates from 1947, which was during a phase that his fans call the “Spare Renaissance”, when he started to produce paintings for the public realm again. This painting was bought for £10 ten years ago, but due to recent renewed interest in his work is now worth considerably more.”
For full details visit the BBC site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/antiques/antiquesroadshow/priceguide/objects/1076.shtml