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Help in reading the author's signature.

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Sofi M

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Hi, I have this painting and I can't read the author. Can anyone tell who the author is?

Edited
by Sofi M

With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Very faded or worn signature - other than the first initials, H.K., I'm afraid I've got nowhere so far.  
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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I don't think I'm going to get anywhere, either!  Either this painting has been horribly over-cleaned, removing most of the paint along with the varnish, or it was exceptionally thinly painted in the first place.   I suspect the surname is Kr...... something, but I haven't found a single name that would fit.  Sorry.  

Alan Bickley

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This artist had initially taken some care in signing his or her signature, but I believe that at some stage in its life, (and as Robert has alluded to), that its been badly cleaned, within an inch of its life, taking some of the signature, and original painting with it…  Initials are probably HKT but no artist springs to mind…albeit not that surprising as I believe its been painted by an amateur hand, so will be an unregistered artist as such - and there are millions of them. However, if it has been badly cleaned, much paint will have been removed so we may not be looking at the original painting as it left the studio!

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by Alan Bickley

Self Portrait

xxxx xxxxxx

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I believe it is Harriet Kraweic... An oil Painter... (Circa 1894 - 1968)  Looks like her style.... Don't know if she had three names....

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by Eric Marioneaux

Alan Bickley

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I’m not reading it as that, the middle name looks like it has a ‘g’ in it…Kragon perhaps! And there has clearly been the third, or surname, which has been almost removed! A better full on photo would maybe have helped…although doubtful.
Self Portrait

xxxx xxxxxx

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It looks like Harriet Kruhow or kruhou Tace.. Maybe.. Impossible to tell.... Did a search nothing came up like that...

Sofi M

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The painting comes from my great-great-great-grandmother. it's definitely not a copy. The painting was completely neglected and kept by my aunt, who knows nothing about art. My great-great-great-grandmother often spent the winter in Venice, maybe it is an Italian artist. She was also friends with the opera singer Fiodor Szalapin, from whom she received gifts. The painting was framed in Łódź. It could also be a Jewish artist.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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I don't think anyone was suggesting it could be a copy.  I would like to know however whether this very neglected painting suffered the attentions of an amateur restorer.       Either way, it's a timely reminder: if you have an old painting, never, ever try to clean it yourself.  If it's worth doing at all, it's worth getting a professional in.  At some point, it looks as though someone has virtually destroyed this painting, taking it right down to the canvas weave.  Neglect alone - unless perhaps fugitive pigments had been used throughout - would not account for its faded appearance.  It looks as though it's been "got at", and in getting at it, someone has robbed the painting of any value it might have had.   "Harriet", incidentally - it struck me too that this might the first name; but the style of the painting suggests the middle of the 19th century at the latest, so the date wouldn't fit.  

Sofi M

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I managed to find the author in quite an interesting way. I was looking for images with similar elements and found them after a long time. The author is Karol Heimroth. He signed the paintings with his name, place and date.  Thanks for your involvement.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Well done!  Great detective work on your part: not so much on ours!  Would it have been signed "Heimroth Karol", the Hungarian way?  Not surprising we couldn't find it looking for a painter with a surname beginning with "K".   https://galeriazak.pl/en_US/p/Karol-Heimroth-%E2%80%9CSunset%2C-1915-/6985 There's considerable stylistic similarity between your painting and one on this auction site.  I would take it to a conservator to see what they might be able to do to restore it - it could be worth your while.  

Sofi M

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The second word is the city Kraków and that's what was confusing. The image that led me to it was this one https://onebid.pl/pl/malarstwo-dawne-karol-heimroth-1860-1930-para-pejzazy/1438409
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