An artwork that was painted directly on to a wall inside a British home has been uncovered as a rare collaborative piece by artists Ben Nicholson and Fred Murray, on the new series of Fake or Fortune? by the BBC.
The abstract piece, estimated to be worth £50,000 to £100,000 ($58,8380 to $117,688), had been displayed in the spare bedroom of a cottage in Surrey, owned by couple Ian and Julie, for the past 20 years.
They had been told it was an original Nicholson by an elderly neighbour who knew the previous owners, but finding out the truth had become a matter of urgency as their home was undergoing construction work that could damage the piece permanently.
In order to get to the bottom of the mystery, the couple turned to the BBC show for the investigative skills of art dealer Philip Mould and presenter Fiona Bruce.
In the first episode of the show's 10th series, Mould and Bruce consult specialists of the artist, museum curators and the family of the home's previous owner to find answers.
If the painting was to be a genuine Nicholson piece, Mould had estimated it could be worth £200,000 as the artist was regarded as "a key figure in European avant-garde" and his artworks have sold for more than £1 million.
This particular artwork depicts a lot of geometric shapes and bright colours, which are evident in Nicholson's other works.
Through the team's investigation, they discovered that the artist had been close friends with the former owners of the Surrey cottage — Madge and Fred Murray — after they found letters sent between them.
Fred had also been a painter and sculptor and a sponsor of Nicholson in his early years.
After the art experts considered the letters proving Nicholson stayed at the cottage and the painting itself, they drew their conclusion that he was likely to have partially created the piece.
Their evaluation said: "We are of the opinion that this work does contain elements consistent with the work of the artist Ben Nicholson.
"However, we also strongly believe that parts of the composition are by a different hand, most likely that of Fred Murray.
"It's our conclusion that this artwork is probably an informal collaborative piece, and potentially the results of a playful artistic dialogue between Ben Nicholson and his close friend and supporter, Fred Murray."
Despite it potentially not being an original, Mould assured the current owners of the work of art that this was still good news.
He explained: "We're dealing with something most unusual — a collaboration with Ben Nicholson and another artist, something he wasn't known to have done.
"He was an amateur but he was somebody who could paint and also a pivotal part of his life so it's entwining two crucial figures together who were connected to each other. It's a very personal thing.
"I can imagine lots of people being both intrigued and drawn to it, and potential collectors as well."
After Mould estimated the value between £50,000 and £100,000, the couple confirmed they would have the segment of the wall with the artwork painted on carefully extracted, so it could be sold.
Nicholson, the son of artists Sir William Nicholson and Mabel Pryde, died at the age of 87 in 1982 and according to the Tate is "recognised as a leading exponent of the modern movement in Britain".
The British modern artist was married three times, with his second wife being sculptor Dame Barbara Hepworth.
After discovering Cubism, the art form would go on to influence his work throughout his life, with the work of Dutch painter Piet Mondrian often cited as another inspiration.
UAE SQUAD
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Ahmed Raza, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Chirag Suri , Zahoor Khan
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
The Book of Collateral Damage
Sinan Antoon
(Yale University Press)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The Way It Was: My Life with Frank Sinatra by Eliot Weisman and Jennifer Valoppi
Hachette Books
New Zealand 57-0 South Africa
Tries: Rieko Ioane, Nehe Milner-Skudder (2), Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Ofa Tu'ungfasi, Lima Sopoaga, Codie Taylor. Conversions: Beauden Barrett (7). Penalty: Beauden Barrett
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MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Norway v Spain, Saturday, 10.45pm, UAE
WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS
England v New Zealand
(Saturday, 12pm UAE)
Wales v South Africa
(Sunday, 12pm, UAE)
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Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope
Defenders: John Stones, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Ashley Young, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold
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Liverpool 4-1 Shrewsbury
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Shrewsbury
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Top financial tips for graduates
Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:
1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.
2. Side hustle: At 16, I lived in a village and started teaching online, as well as doing work as a virtual assistant and marketer. There are six skills you can use online: translation; teaching; programming; digital marketing; design and writing. If you master two, you’ll always be able to make money.
3. Networking: Knowing how to make connections is extremely useful. Use LinkedIn to find people who have the job you want, connect and ask to meet for coffee. Ask how they did it and if they know anyone who can help you. I secured quite a few clients this way.
4. Pay yourself first: The minute you receive any income, put about 15 per cent aside into a savings account you won’t touch, to go towards your emergency fund or to start investing. I do 20 per cent. It helped me start saving immediately.
