When Art And Sorcery Combine? Very Haunted Paintings That Really Exist
You could argue there is something magical about all the arts. Be it a painting, a song, a play or film, or even a piece of writing. All are the product of hard work, and a certain amount of passion of the artists themselves. How many times have you heard, or even said yourself, after appreciating a great song, or having just finished a great book, that the artist “put a piece of their soul into that!” Well sometimes, it seems that the artist did, with some paintings in particular that are said to be cursed, even haunted.
What’s more, these stories do not originate from long ago times, nor are they purely urban legends with no evidence. All of these paintings exist, and some have even had their exploits chronicled in national newspapers and popular television documentaries.
Remember, these four examples are not just artwork that gives you the creeps! These pieces of artwork are said to have severely affected those who have owned them or even just had them in their homes. So much so, that it is almost as if they have a life of their own.
The Crying Boy
The paintings known as “The Crying Boy” gained notoriety in the mid-eighties when they were at the core of a bizarre tabloid newspaper campaign by “The Sun” – which at the time was edited by the perhaps equally notorious, Piers Morgan. Needless to say, the campaign resulted in something akin to angry mobs, pitchforks and large fires.
What’s more, these stories do not originate from long ago times, nor are they purely urban legends with no evidence. All of these paintings exist, and some have even had their exploits chronicled in national newspapers and popular television documentaries.
Remember, these four examples are not just artwork that gives you the creeps! These pieces of artwork are said to have severely affected those who have owned them or even just had them in their homes. So much so, that it is almost as if they have a life of their own.
The Crying Boy
The paintings known as “The Crying Boy” gained notoriety in the mid-eighties when they were at the core of a bizarre tabloid newspaper campaign by “The Sun” – which at the time was edited by the perhaps equally notorious, Piers Morgan. Needless to say, the campaign resulted in something akin to angry mobs, pitchforks and large fires.
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The origins of the legend of “The Crying Boy” paintings appear to go back to the early 1950s Italy, where Italian artist, Giovanni Bragolin, would paint various portraits of Italian orphans crying, and then sell them to tourists. Although it is not known exactly who, at some point over the following decades, the pictures became mass-produced for quick profit, and were one of the most popular such pictures in the United Kingdom throughout the sixties, seventies and into the 1980s.
In 1985 however, the picture began to take on another kind of “fame” when various firemen and woman were reporting that completely undamaged paintings of “The Crying Boy” were found at the scene of several strange house fires. What’s more, they were always found face down within the remains and ashes. There were said to be over fifty reports of this nature.
The claim essentially became that anyone who had one of these paintings in their home, would be victim to a house fire. Everything would be consumed by the flames – all except the “Crying Boy” painting, which would always survive the fire. There were people who already claimed to be victims to this cursed painting, and by the time “The Sun” had gotten a hold of the story, a sense of mass-panic ensued.
People even commented of how when they had attempted to burn the painting that it appeared to be resistant to the flames, and that they had to persist for some time for it to burn – and even then it “burned slower” than other paintings.
The aforementioned tabloid arranged a huge public burning of the prints, and surprisingly or not, many people did turn up, although there are said to still be some of “The Crying Boy” prints still circulating around the UK to this day.
Check out the two video below, each of which looks into "The Crying Boy" painting mystery in a little more detail.
In 1985 however, the picture began to take on another kind of “fame” when various firemen and woman were reporting that completely undamaged paintings of “The Crying Boy” were found at the scene of several strange house fires. What’s more, they were always found face down within the remains and ashes. There were said to be over fifty reports of this nature.
The claim essentially became that anyone who had one of these paintings in their home, would be victim to a house fire. Everything would be consumed by the flames – all except the “Crying Boy” painting, which would always survive the fire. There were people who already claimed to be victims to this cursed painting, and by the time “The Sun” had gotten a hold of the story, a sense of mass-panic ensued.
People even commented of how when they had attempted to burn the painting that it appeared to be resistant to the flames, and that they had to persist for some time for it to burn – and even then it “burned slower” than other paintings.
The aforementioned tabloid arranged a huge public burning of the prints, and surprisingly or not, many people did turn up, although there are said to still be some of “The Crying Boy” prints still circulating around the UK to this day.
Check out the two video below, each of which looks into "The Crying Boy" painting mystery in a little more detail.
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The Hands Resist Him
The painting titled “The Hands Resist Him” first came to light when it was put up for auction on ebay in 2000. The sellers, who claimed they found the painting discarded, said at first they could not understand why such a masterpiece was just left abandoned. According to their ebay advert, they soon discovered why.
The painting itself was commissioned and finished in 1972 by well-known artist, Bill Stoneham. Stoneham himself commented on the painting at the time, stated it was a representation of the “waking world and dream world” and that the boy was the artist himself as a five year old boy.
The painting was put on display in the Feingarten Gallery in California, where it would appear, it began to work its dark magic.
Respected art critic, Henry Seldis, mentioned the piece in the Los Angeles Times soon after it going on display, while shortly after this is purchased by Hollywood actor, John Marley. Within a year, both Seldis and Marley had died, as had the owner of the Feingarten Gallery.
Nothing is known of the painting after this, until it was discovered by a husband and wife, apparently abandoned behind a brewery in California. They took the painting home – a decision they would surely come to regret, and it was at this time that they decided to sell the item and rid themselves of it.
The exact text and layout (all in CAPS) of the original advert read as follows:
“WHEN WE RECEIVED THIS PAINTING, WE THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY GOOD ART. A ” PICKER ” HAD FOUND IT ABANDONNED BEHIND AN OLD BREWERY. AT HTE TIME WE WONDERED A LITLLE WHY A SEEMINGLY PERFECTLY FINE PAINTING WOULD BE DISCARDED LIKE THAT. ( TODAY WE DON’T !!! ) ONE MORNING OUR 4 AND 1/2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER CLAIMED, THAT THE CHILDREN IN THE PICTURE WERE FIGHTING, AND COMING INTO THE ROOM DURING THE NIGHT. NOW, I DON’T BELIEVE IN UFOS OR ELVIS BEING ALIVE, BUT MY HUSBAND WAS ALARMED. TO MY AMUSEMENT HE SET UP A MOTION TRIGGERED CAMERA FOR THE NIGHTS. AFTER THREE NIGHTS THERE WERE PICTURES.THE LAST TWO PICTURES SHOWN ARE FROM THAT ‘STAKEOUT’. AFTER SEEING THE BOY SEEMINGLY EXITING THE PAINTING UNDER THREAT, WE DECIDED, THE PAINTING HAS TO GO.PLEASE JUDGE FOR YOURSELF. — BEFORE YOU DO, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWIND WARNING AND DISCLAIMER. —-WARNING: DO NOT BID ON THIS PAINTING IF YOU ARE SUCCEPTIBLE TO STRESS RELATED DISEASE, FAINT OF HEART OR ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH SUPERNATURAL EVENTS. BY BIDDING ON THIS PAINTING, YOU AGREE TO RELEASE THE OWNERS OF ALL LIABILITY IN RELATION TO THE SALE OR ANY EVENTS HAPPENING AFTER THE SALE, THAT MIGHT BE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PAINTING. THIS PAINTING MAY OR MAY NOT POSESS SUPERNATURAL POWERS, THAT COULD IMPACT OR CHANGE YOUR LIFE. HOWEVER, BY BIDDING YOU AGREE TO EXCLUSIVELY BID ON THE VALUE OF THE ARTWORK, WITH DISREGARD TO THE LAST TWO PHOTOS FEATURED IN THIS AUCTION, AND HOLD THE OWNERS HARMLESS IN REGARD TO THEM AND THEIR IMPACT, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED.———— NOW THAT WE GOT THIS OUT OF THE WAY, ONE QUESTION TO YOU EBAYERS. WE WANT OUR HOUSE TO BE BLESSED AFTER THE PAINTING IS GONE, DOES ANYBODY KNOW, WHO IS QUALIFIED TO DO THAT?”
The painting titled “The Hands Resist Him” first came to light when it was put up for auction on ebay in 2000. The sellers, who claimed they found the painting discarded, said at first they could not understand why such a masterpiece was just left abandoned. According to their ebay advert, they soon discovered why.
The painting itself was commissioned and finished in 1972 by well-known artist, Bill Stoneham. Stoneham himself commented on the painting at the time, stated it was a representation of the “waking world and dream world” and that the boy was the artist himself as a five year old boy.
The painting was put on display in the Feingarten Gallery in California, where it would appear, it began to work its dark magic.
Respected art critic, Henry Seldis, mentioned the piece in the Los Angeles Times soon after it going on display, while shortly after this is purchased by Hollywood actor, John Marley. Within a year, both Seldis and Marley had died, as had the owner of the Feingarten Gallery.
Nothing is known of the painting after this, until it was discovered by a husband and wife, apparently abandoned behind a brewery in California. They took the painting home – a decision they would surely come to regret, and it was at this time that they decided to sell the item and rid themselves of it.
The exact text and layout (all in CAPS) of the original advert read as follows:
“WHEN WE RECEIVED THIS PAINTING, WE THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY GOOD ART. A ” PICKER ” HAD FOUND IT ABANDONNED BEHIND AN OLD BREWERY. AT HTE TIME WE WONDERED A LITLLE WHY A SEEMINGLY PERFECTLY FINE PAINTING WOULD BE DISCARDED LIKE THAT. ( TODAY WE DON’T !!! ) ONE MORNING OUR 4 AND 1/2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER CLAIMED, THAT THE CHILDREN IN THE PICTURE WERE FIGHTING, AND COMING INTO THE ROOM DURING THE NIGHT. NOW, I DON’T BELIEVE IN UFOS OR ELVIS BEING ALIVE, BUT MY HUSBAND WAS ALARMED. TO MY AMUSEMENT HE SET UP A MOTION TRIGGERED CAMERA FOR THE NIGHTS. AFTER THREE NIGHTS THERE WERE PICTURES.THE LAST TWO PICTURES SHOWN ARE FROM THAT ‘STAKEOUT’. AFTER SEEING THE BOY SEEMINGLY EXITING THE PAINTING UNDER THREAT, WE DECIDED, THE PAINTING HAS TO GO.PLEASE JUDGE FOR YOURSELF. — BEFORE YOU DO, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWIND WARNING AND DISCLAIMER. —-WARNING: DO NOT BID ON THIS PAINTING IF YOU ARE SUCCEPTIBLE TO STRESS RELATED DISEASE, FAINT OF HEART OR ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH SUPERNATURAL EVENTS. BY BIDDING ON THIS PAINTING, YOU AGREE TO RELEASE THE OWNERS OF ALL LIABILITY IN RELATION TO THE SALE OR ANY EVENTS HAPPENING AFTER THE SALE, THAT MIGHT BE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PAINTING. THIS PAINTING MAY OR MAY NOT POSESS SUPERNATURAL POWERS, THAT COULD IMPACT OR CHANGE YOUR LIFE. HOWEVER, BY BIDDING YOU AGREE TO EXCLUSIVELY BID ON THE VALUE OF THE ARTWORK, WITH DISREGARD TO THE LAST TWO PHOTOS FEATURED IN THIS AUCTION, AND HOLD THE OWNERS HARMLESS IN REGARD TO THEM AND THEIR IMPACT, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED.———— NOW THAT WE GOT THIS OUT OF THE WAY, ONE QUESTION TO YOU EBAYERS. WE WANT OUR HOUSE TO BE BLESSED AFTER THE PAINTING IS GONE, DOES ANYBODY KNOW, WHO IS QUALIFIED TO DO THAT?”
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Perhaps what is even scarier, is that the advert also displayed the images the couple claimed to have captured with their motion sensitive camera that showed the doll from the painting, alive and stood in their home.
The advert, and more the point, the painting, became an Internet sensation of sorts, with thousands of people viewing the artwork online, and many more arriving in person to inspect the painting close up.
Many of these reported feeling unpleasant emotions such as fear and terror, while other reported feeling instantly unwell in its presence. Even some that viewed the artwork online reported similar experiences.
Remarkably or not, the painting did sell to the owner of Perception Gallery in Michigan, Kim Smith. The painting is said to be in storage there still today, and has been put on public display only six times. Although Smith has not reported any unusual experiences since purchasing the painting, people who have viewed it while on display have sometimes fallen into a strange “trance” for several seconds, as if they were unable to remove their eyes from it.
Whether is any truth to the claims made by the ebay sellers, or whether they were simply attempting to inflate the price (which they decidedly did) will remain a mystery. Perhaps the words of the artist himself when asked about the painting in light of the Internet’s explosion of interest in it sum it up best, when he stated, “We live in an age of science, of revelation, and hard realities and hard facts, but we are still drawn to the mysterious!”
Check out the two videos below that look into the legends of “The Hands Resist Him” painting.
The advert, and more the point, the painting, became an Internet sensation of sorts, with thousands of people viewing the artwork online, and many more arriving in person to inspect the painting close up.
Many of these reported feeling unpleasant emotions such as fear and terror, while other reported feeling instantly unwell in its presence. Even some that viewed the artwork online reported similar experiences.
Remarkably or not, the painting did sell to the owner of Perception Gallery in Michigan, Kim Smith. The painting is said to be in storage there still today, and has been put on public display only six times. Although Smith has not reported any unusual experiences since purchasing the painting, people who have viewed it while on display have sometimes fallen into a strange “trance” for several seconds, as if they were unable to remove their eyes from it.
Whether is any truth to the claims made by the ebay sellers, or whether they were simply attempting to inflate the price (which they decidedly did) will remain a mystery. Perhaps the words of the artist himself when asked about the painting in light of the Internet’s explosion of interest in it sum it up best, when he stated, “We live in an age of science, of revelation, and hard realities and hard facts, but we are still drawn to the mysterious!”
Check out the two videos below that look into the legends of “The Hands Resist Him” painting.
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The Headless Man
In the mid-nineties “The Headless Man” was a painting by an artist known as “Laura P”, who made her a living painting scenes based on old photographs, and then selling them locally, at art fairs, or to galleries.
This particular painting was based on a photograph taken by James Kidd that essentially showed the rusting remains of an old-style stage coach. Slightly to the left of the old, decaying cart, is what appears to be an gentleman, only with a head. What is strange is that Kidd, when asked to comment on the painting, remembers the photograph, but insists that the gentleman was not in the shot he taken the picture, but that it had only shown itself upon its development.
Perhaps even more spooky is that was claimed that Laura had no idea what had made her draw this picture in the first place, only that she felt a compelling pressure to finish it, even though the painting filled even herself with feelings anxiety and doom. It was eventually sold to a local office.
The office soon telephoned Laura, claiming that she must come to collect “The Headless Man” at once due to staff being “physically scared” of it. He also claimed that the painting was straightened every night before the office was closed for the night, and each morning when staff arrived to work, it was found lopsided.
Once the painting was retrieved, Laura and her family began to experience very strange events themselves. They would often hear loud bangs that seemed to happen wherever the painting happened to be. Doors would also open by themselves, and objects would simply move seemingly under their own power.
More worryingly, the family dog began to freeze and growl fiercely at a seemingly invisible menace, and on one occasion, while Laura was drinking from a glass, it suddenly shattered in her hand.
One particularly spooky part of the story relates to a family friend who had an interest in the case, and proceeded to take several photographs of the painting for further study. As we was laying this prints out later that evening at his home, without warning he claimed to have seen the headless man standing in the corner of the room, watching him. He instantly destroyed the photographs and refused to take another picture of “The Headless Man” painting.
According to legend, the painting (which you can see below) still resides with the artist, Laura P.
In the mid-nineties “The Headless Man” was a painting by an artist known as “Laura P”, who made her a living painting scenes based on old photographs, and then selling them locally, at art fairs, or to galleries.
This particular painting was based on a photograph taken by James Kidd that essentially showed the rusting remains of an old-style stage coach. Slightly to the left of the old, decaying cart, is what appears to be an gentleman, only with a head. What is strange is that Kidd, when asked to comment on the painting, remembers the photograph, but insists that the gentleman was not in the shot he taken the picture, but that it had only shown itself upon its development.
Perhaps even more spooky is that was claimed that Laura had no idea what had made her draw this picture in the first place, only that she felt a compelling pressure to finish it, even though the painting filled even herself with feelings anxiety and doom. It was eventually sold to a local office.
The office soon telephoned Laura, claiming that she must come to collect “The Headless Man” at once due to staff being “physically scared” of it. He also claimed that the painting was straightened every night before the office was closed for the night, and each morning when staff arrived to work, it was found lopsided.
Once the painting was retrieved, Laura and her family began to experience very strange events themselves. They would often hear loud bangs that seemed to happen wherever the painting happened to be. Doors would also open by themselves, and objects would simply move seemingly under their own power.
More worryingly, the family dog began to freeze and growl fiercely at a seemingly invisible menace, and on one occasion, while Laura was drinking from a glass, it suddenly shattered in her hand.
One particularly spooky part of the story relates to a family friend who had an interest in the case, and proceeded to take several photographs of the painting for further study. As we was laying this prints out later that evening at his home, without warning he claimed to have seen the headless man standing in the corner of the room, watching him. He instantly destroyed the photographs and refused to take another picture of “The Headless Man” painting.
According to legend, the painting (which you can see below) still resides with the artist, Laura P.
The Anguished Man
Perhaps the most chilling of these is a painting known as “The Anguished Man”, which found fame of sorts in 2010 when it was said to be behind some of the stranger paranormal incidents of recent times, and has featured on various such television shows.
The story goes that the painting was left to a man named Sean Robinson by his late grandmother, who since 1985 had kept the chilling artwork locked away in her attic. She had always insisted that the painting was haunted and connected the tortured soul of its artist, who remains unknown to this day. What’s more, she stated that the artist had mixed their blood in with the paint while composing the work, and they had committed suicide almost immediately upon its completion.
Robinson’s grandmother had further claimed that she could hear screams of pain coming from the loft where the painting was stored, and since Robinson came into possession of it, many others, including paranormal investigators interested in the piece, claimed to have been suddenly overcome with a feeling of intense nausea and dread.
Perhaps the most chilling of these is a painting known as “The Anguished Man”, which found fame of sorts in 2010 when it was said to be behind some of the stranger paranormal incidents of recent times, and has featured on various such television shows.
The story goes that the painting was left to a man named Sean Robinson by his late grandmother, who since 1985 had kept the chilling artwork locked away in her attic. She had always insisted that the painting was haunted and connected the tortured soul of its artist, who remains unknown to this day. What’s more, she stated that the artist had mixed their blood in with the paint while composing the work, and they had committed suicide almost immediately upon its completion.
Robinson’s grandmother had further claimed that she could hear screams of pain coming from the loft where the painting was stored, and since Robinson came into possession of it, many others, including paranormal investigators interested in the piece, claimed to have been suddenly overcome with a feeling of intense nausea and dread.
The experiences of Robinson and his family however were much worse, at times bordering on almost deadly. His wife claimed that she regularly felt someone stroking her hair even though no-one was there, while his son had physically been pushed down the stairs by “invisible” hands.
Everyone who stayed at the house would also hear the screams that Robinson’s grandmother had stated she had heard. Perhaps most alarming was the presence of a shadow-like figure that was often seen for an instant near the painting. In one particularly frightful incident, Robinson’s wife turned over in bed, and for a moment saw a figure that looked like the figure in the painting staring back at her.
Robinson made a series of short You Tube videos (some of which you can see at the end of this section) in an effort to prove the paranormal activity was happening. They did indeed show the painting falling to floor seemingly of its own accord, while doors would sometimes slam shut suddenly in the room it was hung. On one occasion smoke was even seen to be rising from it as if out of nowhere.
Perhaps surprisingly, perhaps not, the vast majority of people claimed these to be a hoax on Robinson’s part, and while the painting has featured in several television shows, Robinson himself refuses to sell it. Instead he opts to keep it locked away in the family basement. Since he has chosen to do so, the poltergeist-like activity has ceased.
Check out the video below that is said to show just a taste of the powerful haunting incidents that Robinson claims the painting is responsible for and make up your own minds. Below that there is a very recent update from Robinson concerning the painting, and then be sure check out the Top 10 Most Haunted Paintings clip for several more paintings that might have more to them than meets the eye.
[Marcus Lowth January 2017]
Everyone who stayed at the house would also hear the screams that Robinson’s grandmother had stated she had heard. Perhaps most alarming was the presence of a shadow-like figure that was often seen for an instant near the painting. In one particularly frightful incident, Robinson’s wife turned over in bed, and for a moment saw a figure that looked like the figure in the painting staring back at her.
Robinson made a series of short You Tube videos (some of which you can see at the end of this section) in an effort to prove the paranormal activity was happening. They did indeed show the painting falling to floor seemingly of its own accord, while doors would sometimes slam shut suddenly in the room it was hung. On one occasion smoke was even seen to be rising from it as if out of nowhere.
Perhaps surprisingly, perhaps not, the vast majority of people claimed these to be a hoax on Robinson’s part, and while the painting has featured in several television shows, Robinson himself refuses to sell it. Instead he opts to keep it locked away in the family basement. Since he has chosen to do so, the poltergeist-like activity has ceased.
Check out the video below that is said to show just a taste of the powerful haunting incidents that Robinson claims the painting is responsible for and make up your own minds. Below that there is a very recent update from Robinson concerning the painting, and then be sure check out the Top 10 Most Haunted Paintings clip for several more paintings that might have more to them than meets the eye.
[Marcus Lowth January 2017]
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