r/WhatIsThisPainting • • Jan 15 '20

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

442 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

34 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 • • 5h ago

Solved Trying to find the name of this painting

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14 Upvotes

Can’t find any information on it online, signed Robert Melville, it’s textured oil paint? Originally purchased in West Norwood (UK) 1970, purchased by myself last year in an antiques shop and I’m just hoping for more details about it


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 3h ago

Likely Solved Pastel portrait of Bob Marley signed "Christopher R. C…" 2009 – can anyone read the signature / know the artist?

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10 Upvotes

r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 1h ago

Unsolved Help reading the signature on a small oil of the Champs-Élysées, Paris (1930s?)

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• Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to identify the artist of this small oil on panel (14 x 24 cm, in a gilt frame). It shows the Champs-Élysées looking towards the Arc de Triomphe, with pedestrians, café awnings and two cars. The cars suggest the mid-1930s.

The auction house catalogued it only as “French school, early 20th century”, so they could not read the signature either.

The signature is in the lower right corner: “Ch.” for Charles, then the surname. The paint has run and smudged there, so I can’t read it with certainty. It may start with “M”, and the end is lost under a dark spot and partly hidden by the frame. Close-up attached.

Does anyone recognise this signature, or know a painter of Paris street scenes named Charles with a similar surname? Any suggestions welcome.

Thank you!


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 4h ago

Unsolved Who is this artist?

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3 Upvotes

Hoping the artist of these two paintings can be identified?

I was given these paintings in San Diego, CA, in 2006.

The only backstory I have is that the artist was male, died from a drug overdose sometime after these two paintings were finished. His best friend had been given thse after the artist's demise, by the artist's parents I believe, as they may have been childhood best friends. No I idea where the artist lived, only that his best friend had them while living in Ocean Beach, CA, in the same apartment complex as my boyfriend.

He was forced to get rid of them by his fiance, as one of the terms of getting married, and moving in with her...lol, add my boyfriend took them rather than see them go into the dumpster.

Both paintings have the same signature: a stylized alphanumeric logo, rather than a traditional signature.

CD 89 ART its what it looks like, with two sets of horizontal lines. I've tried reverse image search and other methods multiple times over the years.

The back of each painting is plain canvas, no writings or markings. Hey, may not have been a professional artist, the canvasses look like he used a staple gun to staple to the frame, have no supports, and the staples are not evenly spaced (sloppy).

Thanks in advance for any info :)


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 5h ago

Unsolved help identifying the artist

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3 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I recently bought this oil painting from an antique market in the UK and would love some help identifying the artist, the title or even the era/style it might belong to. I was told it is from the 20’s or 30’s. It is oil on canvas and dimensions are 24” x 16”.

There is no sign or signature. Haven’t opened the frame to check on the back. Thanks for your time and expertise.


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 7h ago

Likely Solved Drawing framed by Alfred Stiles & Sons London- ID on Artist signature?

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3 Upvotes

Drawing framed by Alfred Stiles & Sons London- ID on Artist signature?

Bought in a charity shop in mid Devon UK

Struggling to identify the signature and who drew this, any tips or directions where to go and find out massively appreciated thanks.


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 2h ago

Help to identify artist signature please

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1 Upvotes

I have an artwork which I think is pastel and pencil/charcoal on toned paper. I don't know where it came from but is perhaps Scottish as this used to belong to a relative who loved Scottish artists. They also liked French art, too. There is nothing on the back so no clues there.

I can't figure out what the signature says or whether is it divided into three?

Any help at all would be much appreciated so I can understand a bit more about it. Thank you.


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 3h ago

Unsolved Edward Hopper??

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0 Upvotes

Hey guys, saw this in the background of a Brent Forrester video (ex Simpsons writer).

Is it a Hopper?

Can ye see why I think so??

Many thanks.


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 4h ago

[19th/Early 20th-C. European Marine Oil] Looking for help identifying the artist/monogram on this harbor scene.

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1 Upvotes

Hello everyone! I am trying to gather information about the artist behind this antique painting.

​* **Subject:** A traditional European harbor scene featuring a two-masted steamer and smaller boats, executed with a moody atmospheric palette.

* **Medium & Support:** Oil on a rigid panel with historical conservation patches on the back.

* **Signature:** It features a distinct monogram/signature in the lower left corner (looks like "H. d." or "M. d.") done in the same blue-grey tones as the water reflections.

* **Frame:** It comes in its original carved wooden period frame with fabric matting.

​If anyone recognizes the monogram, the style, or the European school it might belong to, any insights or guidance would be deeply appreciated. Thank you so much!


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 5h ago

Unsolved help identify this painting?

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1 Upvotes

Found at an antique store in wealthy MN area.

It has a bird among flowering branches, with writing and a red stamp on the front. There’s also a stamp on the back.
I’d love to figure out where it’s from, if anyone can read the writing or identify the stamps, and if there’s any way to tell how old it is.

Any help or suggestions on where to look would be great.


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 1d ago

Unsolved Found at flea market today

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123 Upvotes

says below, “Artist Proof, Offerings II, Pikus” I think? Work has some gold leaf accents. Found in SF Bay Area.


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 22h ago

Unsolved Who drew this?

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14 Upvotes

I found these a couple years ago at a garage sale! I was wondering if anyone had any insight into who this artist is or even what these buildings are! I’d love to know :3c whoever drew these did such a beautiful job!!! I think 83 stands for 1983? So vintage? :33cc


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 1d ago

Unsolved Can anyone find an actual source for this painting? I know the name but theres almost zero sources from before a year or so ago.

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85 Upvotes

So recently a bunch of posts on reddit and tiktok and facebook or whereever have gone viral for this painting. It's apparently 'Death and the Girl' By Frans Van Kuyck.

The problem is that I can find nothing on it. The artist's wikipedia page doesn't even mention it. No actual museum website have a page on it either, the only mentions are social media posts within the last year.

I managed to find a version of it listed as 'the fleeting nature of life' on an auction site in 2012. But thats the only mention of it at all on the internet, and its clearly a different name. For a painting from probably around the turn of the 20th century and by a moderately notable artist, I find it strange.

Can anyone find an actual reputable source (museum, university etc) so I can find out what the real name is and if the attributed artist is correct? Or at least join me in the rabbit hole.


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 20h ago

Unsolved Bought recently

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3 Upvotes

I fell in love with this for the colors and composition. It looks like part of it is sticking to the glass. Can this be fixed without ruining the art? I do not have a picture of the back but if I remember, it is just paper.


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 1d ago

Likely Solved - Decor Oil painting - copy of French impressionist

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7 Upvotes

Hi! I bought this oil painting at a market in France. The seller told me it was from a artist school in Paris in the 1950s replicating the older impressionist style. I was wondering if anyone might have more information on the artist or what painting it was modeled on? I love the painting so I have no expectations, but it would be great to learn more!


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 1d ago

Unsolved Found these sketches book- marking pages of an old encyclopedia.

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6 Upvotes

It looks like the artist is named Joanne Corter, the dates are 1977 and 1978, but can't find anything else on them, other than some Elvis sketches. Can anyone tell me any more info about the works, the artist, and maybe who the celebrities are? I think the one is Casablanca.


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 23h ago

Solved Does anyone recognise this post impressionist painter?

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4 Upvotes

Bought in an auction house in Southern Scotland 20 years ago. Trying to find out who the artist is. Absolutely love it. Signature says Mackintosh.


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 1d ago

Unsolved Chinese portrait from a flea market. WhatIsThisPainting?

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7 Upvotes

I bought this at a flea market for $40 from an interesting individual awhile back. It’s been in storage and I finally hung it up in my new place. That got me curious about who it depicts and the story behind it.

I tried looking it up but couldn’t find much information. I found similar emperor portraits online but the faces and dragon details don’t match exactly. The label on the back says “Made in the People’s Republic of China” with an item number.

I’d like to know who I’ve got hanging on my wall and whether this is based on a known original portrait. Any information about its age or how it was made would also be appreciated.


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 1d ago

Likely Solved I'm just trying to get some information about these. My parents had them hanging in their bedroom. I know nothing. They look really old. I know they're older than me. I'm 43 years of age. That's about it.

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123 Upvotes

r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 1d ago

Unsolved Artist help…

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5 Upvotes

I found these two prints at a garage sale a while back and have not had luck determining who the artist is. Any help would be much appreciated. They were bought in the PNW area.


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 21h ago

Painting from grandparent’s house

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1 Upvotes

I’m sorry about the low-quality photos, but these are all I have. Whenever I would go over to my grandparents’ house, we’d sleep in the living room since they lived out of my state, and I always liked this painting. After they passed, my aunt still stays there. I can’t ask her about it since I’m worried about my dad finding out (my dad hates my aunt for some reason). Thank you to anyone who tries to help me find it


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 1d ago

Unsolved What is this thing?

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3 Upvotes

Ottawa canada area - what is this thibg?

There is some level of technique, a signature…

Will add pick of the back within the hour


r/WhatIsThisPainting • • 1d ago

Likely Solved Anyone know what this painting is coming from?

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3 Upvotes

My grandmother is curious where this painting is coming from exactly. Here a bit background:

My great grandfather was a translator in the second war. He bought this painting from a Ukrainian painter who was living in Paris to that time. It should be around 1940-1942.