r/WhatIsThisPainting Jan 15 '20

GUIDE What is a Decor Painting? How do I know if I have one?

444 Upvotes

What is a “decor painting”?

A decor painting is a piece of artwork created purely for decorative purposes. Purchased not from galleries or artists, but from decor & furniture shops like Pier 1, Homesense, The Brick, websites like AliExpress and OilPaintings.com or from markets & stands on vacation. Tell-tale signs that you have a decor painting are lots of stippling, undefined figures, hurried brush strokes, gradients, cloning techniques and a certain Bob Ross feeling to it.

Common vintage subjects would be European street scenes, landscapes of mountains / forests / lakes & rivers, vases of flowers, Tuscan landscapes, ocean & beach scenes and Asian style boats. See below for examples. They are often rectangular in shape to hang nicely above a sofa, you could even buy them from Sears as a package. Modern versions are more varied in subject.

Black velvet paintings and artwork specifically for tourists as souvenirs share many factors with decor paintings.

Where are they made?

They are produced in massive numbers in painting factories like Dafen Village in China or Mexico. Another article here:

Dafen once produced an estimated 60 percent of all the world’s oil paintings. During its heyday—when the village’s reputation as an art factory rang truer than today—it almost exclusively cranked out copies of paintings in the Western art canon. These canvases found their way into hotel rooms, show homes, and furniture outlets all around the world.

At its peak, Dafen was jam-packed with sizeable, factory-like studios, all employing Huang’s production line process. Individual workers each focused on a specific compositional element—background details, or eyes, or trees—dutifully painting their part and then passing the canvas along the chain.

Who’s the Artist?

While they are "originals" they are not by known artists. Often entire production lines will use the same signature which explains why your research many have founds pieces by the same “artist”. As quoted above, often many people will work on the same piece.

Do they have any value?

Unfortunately, they do not hold much of any value. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t be enjoyed and some are even a bit collectible.

Can I see some examples?

Decor paintings are posted to this sub almost daily, while not definitive, here are some common examples:

Landscape Paintings: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, Example 4, Example 5, Example 6, Example 7

European Street Scene Paintings: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, Example 4, Example 5, Example 6, Example 7

Vases of Flowers: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3 more coming soon...

Beach, Ocean & Boat Paintings: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, Example 4, Example 5, Example 6, Example 7, Example 8,

Other Miscellaneous Vintage Decor Paintings: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, Example 4

Modern Decor Paintings: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, Example 4, Example 5, Example 6

Black Velvet & Souvenir Pieces: Example 1, more coming soon...

Please let me know if you see any room for improvement on this post or would like to include other examples. Thank you!


r/WhatIsThisPainting May 29 '25

GUIDE Read Me Before Posting

32 Upvotes

Hello painting enthusiasts - here is a brief post with things to keep in mind.

SEARCHING:

To locate your painting, please try the reverse-search tools Google Images/Lens, Yandex Images, and Tineye. (Remember that cropping your picture differently will yield different search results!)

If you have an artist name or signature, I recommend searching for it within r/WhatIsThisPainting itself. I also use the following websites for research; all are free.

DECOR ART:

SUBMISSIONS:

  • Please be patient and allow up to 24 hours for your post to get through our queue! (Accounts under a week old and images involving nudity are automatically flagged.)
  • If your post has gone unanswered for over a week, you are permitted to re-submit in hopes of retrying.

ANSWERING POSTS:

  • If you are making a definitive ID, do try to cite your sources whenever possible. It is encouraged, but not required.
  • The use of predictive text-generators (i.e. chatGPT) is not permitted. They have a tendency to lie!

Happy solving!


r/WhatIsThisPainting 10h ago

Likely Solved Amazing cat painting, looking for artist name

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121 Upvotes

Found this painting of a yawning Siamese cat at a New Hampshire Seacoast Goodwill and trying to figure out who the artist is. I believe the first name is Caroline? But the signature appears to be pencil and is quite light. Any help is appreciated!


r/WhatIsThisPainting 8h ago

Unsolved 1990s NYC Painted window

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12 Upvotes

We received this piece along with several other pieces from a friend who passed away, and had friendships with 1990s artists who exhibited and sold small collections of hand painted, printed, and mixed media work. As far as we know, despite it saying San Francisco on it, this was made in NYC and generally the collector would have had pieces made by a Black, Hispanic, and Native American artists she knew locally there.

This is different from most of the other pieces we received along with it (and I’m doing my research per the rules before posting) - the others I believe are by an artist named Doze Green.

This piece is a wall-mounted box with a glass front and wood back, I’m guessing 26 by 24 inches and about 5 inches deep. The first plane features pigeons on painted glass, one on each of three panes of glass set in a glazed white painted wood window found materials frame- backed by other found wood with stenciled text. Along the top of the glass there’s hand painted red letters text that says “ thank you for everything”, and along the bottom it says “respect” “admiration” “devotion” - there are also white letters that say “93” “94” “95”. Affixed to the top of the frame there are blocks that currently say “______Y 🕊️DEPARTED” that I assume may have said “dearly” at some point. On the back, it reads “NOVEMBER #12” “THIS IS HEAVY.” “CR—>D. 199NINE” in permanent marker. There’s some deliberately smudged out text I can’t read as well.

I’m not sure if the work is signed, the cr(arrow)d seems to mean “created”.


r/WhatIsThisPainting 17h ago

Likely Solved Any help in finding who painted this?

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47 Upvotes

Don't know much about it, but the cat looks cute and boy looks unusual. Some stickers and stencils on the back.


r/WhatIsThisPainting 1h ago

Unsolved Who's the artist?

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Upvotes

I found these three pieces at a local charity shop, I think the artist is a woman called Carole bécam? I can't find any information about her other works or what they have sold for, curious if anyone can point me in the right direction


r/WhatIsThisPainting 5h ago

Unsolved Does anyone recognize the artist?

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4 Upvotes

My partner found this on the street in NYC 15+ years ago. SoHo area.


r/WhatIsThisPainting 4h ago

Unsolved Looking for biographical information on this artist Rita Barzilai - print entitled “mujer”

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2 Upvotes

Purchased from a private seller in CDMX - edition 32/50. So far the closest lead is an auction at Morton Subastas (current and past) for the same name (signatures also very close) but a different piece altogether entitled “Mujer vendada”. Anyone have any biographical information on the artist? My searches have all ended up dead ends. Any help/leads would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!


r/WhatIsThisPainting 8h ago

Unsolved Looking to confirm some of my own research!

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6 Upvotes

I came across this at a St. Vincent DePaul, Is this a legitimate aquatint by Henry Thomas Alken and Charles Bentley? I’m not versed in subtle clues to look for, but my own research I am about 50/50? There are no markings or stamps on the backside of the picture frame, and I haven’t decided if I should tamper with the brown paper backing on the picture frame either Any other help/advice would be greatly appreciated!


r/WhatIsThisPainting 1d ago

Unsolved Large painting once owned by Paul Newman’s Mom and brother, with lots of provenance documented, but nobody knows the artist. I bought it from the person whose mother purchased it from Newmans brother. I think it was painted in Cleveland?

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194 Upvotes

r/WhatIsThisPainting 10h ago

Solved I looked up as much as I can. Does anyone know this painter?

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7 Upvotes

The size is 24x18. Was painted in 1958. The back is another painting I guess they didn’t like.


r/WhatIsThisPainting 4h ago

Unsolved Blue art

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2 Upvotes

I found this on Pinterest and love it. I can’t find anything concrete. Google AI answer pulls from a comment on another Pinterest post, which pulls from a Flickr post of another image (about dyed cotton).

Also found it on some website for sale but it’s in another language and seems to have a vast library of images, not an artists’ own website.

I’d love to get a print!

Help! Thank you!


r/WhatIsThisPainting 2h ago

Likely Solved Unknown portrait, signed Lillian A. Parker; searches dry

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1 Upvotes

Looking to learn about this artist/portrait. Is anyone familiar with an oil portraiture artist named Lillian A. Parker? I’ve searched via all the suggested methods as well as doing all the recommended image searches of the painting as well.

All that comes up is a Lilian Parker, first name spelled differently, an English artist who died in 1948. As well as Lillian Cobb-Parker, same era who mainly did impressionist work. Neither seem to be this Lillian A. Parker.

Based on the subjects lapels and tie in the painting, I would assume this was painted 1930s-1940s?

There are no markings I’ve seen that would indicate auction but there is what looks like a repair patch on the back.

The painting was purchased in the mid-Atlantic region so could have a connection to Philadelphia/Wilmington/Washington DC. But those area are also very transient.

I bought it for no other reason then the subject has a striking resemblance to my late grandfather.

Any thoughts are very helpful, thanks !


r/WhatIsThisPainting 16h ago

Likely Solved Japanese Block Art?

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12 Upvotes

I inherited this from my aunt years ago, no idea where she got it but she had a boyfriend at some point who was an art dealer. The paper has some texture to it. Any idea what the stamp/ artist mark says? Perhaps it’s just cheap street art but it’s sentimental to me. Thank you for any insights!


r/WhatIsThisPainting 7h ago

Unsolved Is this artist Richard Haines 1906-1984? Painting has a lot of texture.

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2 Upvotes

Just wondering if this is the same Richard Haines I see online. Is this real?


r/WhatIsThisPainting 8h ago

Likely Solved Trying to figure out who made this

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2 Upvotes

Took this picture back in 2019 while working a wedding at The Loft on Broadway in Milwaukee connected to the JK Art House wish I took more pictures but I was too busy.


r/WhatIsThisPainting 14h ago

Unsolved Unidentified countryside watercolor, possibly produced between 1840 and 1849.

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5 Upvotes

No markings visible on painting, save sketch lines underneath paint. Appears to have been cut down at some point, laat digit of date and edges of paint are cut off. Script on reverse partially obscured by translucent tape, appears to state "M?(h?)ia 7th Jan 184x Les: 15th"

Found in misc bin of NYC print shoppe, curators were unaware of origin/artist, or of when the cuts were made.


r/WhatIsThisPainting 9h ago

Unsolved Any ideas on the painter mcmillan?

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2 Upvotes

Purchased these paintings in the uk together and trying to find out the artist. Pretty sure they are signed F Mcmillan.


r/WhatIsThisPainting 10h ago

Unsolved Aiutatemi a riconoscere se quest'opera è reale

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2 Upvotes

Ciao a tutti, ho trovato di recente questo bozzetto che risulta firmato da Guttuso, e con data risalente al 1983, guardando altre opere dell'artista mi sembra di intuire che possa essere originale e non una replica, ma volevo chiedere a chi se ne intende di più, vi lascio la scansione del bozzetto. Grazie in anticipo per tutte le informazioni che mi darete.


r/WhatIsThisPainting 6h ago

Unsolved Where is this from and what does it represent?

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0 Upvotes

My friend found a duffel bag outside a house full of assorted picture frames with pictures in and this painting too I wonder if it could be fan art or something else


r/WhatIsThisPainting 7h ago

Likely Solved - Decor Unknown Velvet Painting. No visible signature. It belonged to my grandparents.

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0 Upvotes

r/WhatIsThisPainting 1d ago

Unsolved Who’s the artist?

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55 Upvotes

Found this painting at a garage sale, love it and would like to learn more about the artist. Signature reads B. Armstrong I think, but there’s virtually no info online. TIA!


r/WhatIsThisPainting 8h ago

Unsolved Help identify painting?

0 Upvotes

Ill get straight to the point: The painting involves a beautiful woman who is sitting at a table, she has dark eyes I believe and light hair that is in an elegant up-do, I'm not sure if she's supposed to be a bride but she wears a white backless dress with lace(?) details. There is a man beside her (which if she truly is a bride than he is a groom) and he has his hand on the small of her back, I'm pretty sure the painting lets us know he is staring at another woman, while the other men sitting at their table are looking at the woman. I guess the message is supposed to be something like the man not appreciating his beautiful wife enough when there are other men who'd gladly be in his position? I don't know, I could just be adding straight bs from my head lol but yeah that's it. Hope yall can find it because I literally cannot find it anywhereeee thanks for the help<33


r/WhatIsThisPainting 8h ago

Unsolved Paired vintage find

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1 Upvotes

Found these paintings today. One is dated 1972, the other 70 somthing. Same artist. Arieta, i believe. Is this just vintage tourist art?