A RARE artwork by pseudonymous street artist Banksy is on sale at a Stratford gallery.
Lambert Fine Art, in Bell Court, has taken possession of Grannies, one of only a couple of examples of his work that come onto the open market each year.
And it’s selling for £50,000.
Published by Pictures On Walls, the framed limited-edition print from 2006, was obtained by the gallery through a mysterious ‘private source’ linked to the artist and comes complete with a certificate of authentication.
Rendered in Banksy’s signature black and white stencil style, the pair of grannies are set against a block pink background, serving to heighten the humorous contradiction between scene and message, a technique mastered by the artist.
Director Mark Lambert said: “We are so excited to bring to the market this wonderful piece. I have personally sold many prints by Banksy over the years including an original spray work on canvas which in today’s market would be worth millions.
“This Banksy titled ‘Grannies’ is truly exceptional and in perfect condition. It’s framed and glazed with museum quality glass to protect the work for the future.”
Active since the 1990s, Banksy’s works of political and social commentary have appeared on streets, walls and bridges throughout the world but the identity of the England-based artist remains unknown.
Banksy’s paintings at auction set numerous records. However, the most expensive piece ever sold at auction was the seminal Love is in the Bin which famously went for £18.6million in 2021 at Sotheby’s.
Picasso, Degas, Monet, Warhol, Lowry, Renoir and Henry Moore are among some of the other international artists handled by Mark, who opened his first dealership in Stratford’s Bell Court in November. The gallery specialises in original 19th to 21st century works as well as contemporary paintings and sculpture from Royal Academy level artists.
Mark added: “We truly believe that now is the time to bring the very finest examples of high-end original paintings and sculptures to Stratford which is something that has been missing for many years, as well as bringing with it our wealthy clients.”
Visit https://lambertfineart.co.uk for more information.
