Painting of 'black Florence Nightingale' Mary Seacole bought for £130,000
The 1869 painting of Mary Seacole, by art student Albert Challen, was unearthed in 2003 by a local antiques dealer, who accidentally found it behind a framed print at the boot sale in Burford, Oxon.
He saw the artist's initials - ACC - on the wooden backing board, which he then found bore the portrait itself. But he did not know the identity of the sitter.
Seacole was a Jamaican-born nurse who travelled to Crimea in the 1850s to set up a treatment centre for soldiers.
She tried to join the official nursing ranks but was rejected four times.
Eventually she decided to go there independently, travelling to the town of Balaclava and setting up a 'hotel' for injured soldiers.
She was later awarded several medals for bravery.
After passing through various auctions, the portrait was purchased by historian Helen Rappaport...
Read entire article at Telegraph (UK)
He saw the artist's initials - ACC - on the wooden backing board, which he then found bore the portrait itself. But he did not know the identity of the sitter.
Seacole was a Jamaican-born nurse who travelled to Crimea in the 1850s to set up a treatment centre for soldiers.
She tried to join the official nursing ranks but was rejected four times.
Eventually she decided to go there independently, travelling to the town of Balaclava and setting up a 'hotel' for injured soldiers.
She was later awarded several medals for bravery.
After passing through various auctions, the portrait was purchased by historian Helen Rappaport...