In 1966, a New York art teacher paid under $100 for a thrift-store painting; 60 years later the FCB Cadell work sold for £189,200

In 1966, retired art teacher Helene Plotkin bought a painting for less than $100 at a thrift store in White Plains, New York. She liked the work enough to take it home and display it, but she had no idea that the painting was by a well-known Scottish artist.According to People's magazine, Plotkin kept the painting in her home for nearly 60 years. It was only in 2025, when her son Barry began researching it and took it for appraisal, that the family learnt more about its origins. The work was eventually identified as a painting by Scottish artist Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell, commonly known as FCB Cadell.The painting, titled “Interior: The Lady in Black”, was later offered at auction by Edinburgh-based Lyon & Turnbull. It sold for £189,200, including the buyer's premium, in June 2026. The sale turned a painting bought for less than $100 decades ago into a highly valued work of art.For Plotkin, the discovery also confirmed something she had felt when she first saw the painting. She told the BBC that her background in art history and studio practice drew her to it immediately. “The painting had an undeniable, regal presence, but it was the color theory at play that held my attention,” she said.How the painting was identifiedThe painting's artist had remained unknown for years because its signature was difficult to read. That changed when Plotkin's son began looking into the work in 2025.The signature was deciphered with the help of artificial intelligence. Specialists at Lyon & Turnbull then examined the painting and confirmed that it was the work of Cadell.The discovery came after the painting had spent decades in the Plotkin family home. Her son said the family was surprised when they learnt who had created it and who was shown in the painting.“We were, as you can imagine, delighted and astounded when we found out the identity of the artist and of the model,” he said.“For mom, it was confirmation of her artistic eye and ability to recognize great talent,” he added.The artist behind the workCadell was one of four artists known as the Scottish Colourists. The group also included John Duncan Fergusson, George Leslie Hunter and Samuel John Peploe.According to Lyon & Turnbull, the four artists were influenced by developments in progressive French art during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were known for their use of bright colours and expressive brushwork.The group exhibited together in London and Paris during the 1920s and 1930s. Lyon & Turnbull describes the Scottish Colourists as important figures in Scottish modern art and in British and European art history of the period.Cadell was particularly known for paintings of Edinburgh interiors and still-life works. “Interior: The Lady in Black” dates from what Lyon & Turnbull described as the most important and successful period of his career.What “The Lady in Black” showsThe painting depicts Cadell's north-facing studio on the first floor of his home in Edinburgh. The room looks towards Fife and includes several details associated with the artist's interiors.Lyon & Turnbull said the work brings together several of Cadell's well-known objects and visual motifs. These include lilac walls, a highly polished black floor, mirrors, a Louis XV-style armchair, a blue and white coffee set and a black fan tied with ribbon.At the centre of the composition is the model May Easter. She was one of Cadell's most important sitters, alongside Bethia Hamilton Don Wauchope.Easter is shown seated on a bright red chair. Her red hair, golden turban and veil are among the details highlighted by Lyon & Turnbull in its description of the work.Cadell's use of black is also a noticeable feature of the painting. Easter's black clothing is contrasted with other colours and details in the room, including a pink rose at the base of her neckline.A painting from Cadell's peak periodLyon & Turnbull said the painting was created at the height of Cadell's career and described it as a “tour de force” example of his work.The artist had made a name for himself through solo exhibitions in London and Edinburgh before the First World War. After being demobilised from the army in 1919, he bought 6 Ainslie Place in Edinburgh's Georgian New Town the following year.The house became an important part of Cadell's work. He lived there until 1931, and its interiors became the subject of a series of paintings during the 1920s.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.