BBC's Fake or Fortune uncovers 'enormously important' painting worth £100,000

BBC's Fake or Fortune uncovers 'enormously important' painting worth £100,000Image source, BBC StudiosImage caption, Mary-Louise Wedderbern explained the painting was left to her in her uncle's will two deaces agoBySteven McIntoshEntertainment reporterPublished4 minutes agoAn "enormously important" 18th Century painting by the Scottish artist Katherine Read has been uncovered by the BBC's Fake or Fortune. The portrait was brought to the programme's team wrapped in a sleeping bag, and is now thought to be worth more than £100,000.Retired accountant Mary-Louise Wedderburn explained the painting was left to her in her uncle's will two decades ago. Wedderbern said she had always believed the portrait may have been painted by Read, a distant relative of hers who specialised in portraying women and children.The portrait features an Indian woman in a formal pose, wearing a string of pearls, a large emerald pendant and a nose ring.Speaking in the episode, broadcast on Thursday, art historian Charles Greig described it as "one of the trickiest paintings I've ever had to consider". "On the basis of all the evidence put together, I am entirely certain that this painting is by Katherine Read."Image source, BBC StudiosImage caption, Wedderburn said it was "wonderful" and "unbelievable" that the painting had been authenticatedAfter being told of the work's authenticity and the projected value, Wedderbern said: "It's wonderful, it's unbelievable. Thank you so much. "It's just so important to me that it's by Katherine Read, because of the family connection, but also because of who she was."She added: "The more that we find out about Katherine Read, the more I think she was just a wonderful woman, she was just super."Read, a well-known portraitist at the time, studied in Europe, moved professionally in elite circles and was so successful that sh...