Community Corner

Unknown Artist Mystery

A Swampscott resident from the early 1960s took a photo of this oil painting in a Swampscott shop window all those years ago. He wonders if anyone knows anything about the artist, Clement, and the painting's location.

 

One summer day in 1961 Patrick Bourque saw an oil painting in a Swampscott store window and the painting is still working on his imagination.

He was 18 at the time and his parents had a house at 2 Superior St.

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Patrick's memory of the store is vague. It was within easy walking distance of Lynn, and had a big picture window. 

Even though it had the painting in the window it may not have been an art gallery. That's all he remembers about the store.

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His memory of the painting, however, is clear. He has a photo of it.

At the time, on the back of the photo, he wrote "Swampscott" in pencil and "by Clement" in colored ink.

Now Patrick wonders if anyone knows who Clement is or was, and if they know where the painting is. 

If anyone does, please send me an email, terry.date@patch.com, and I'll relay the information to Patrick.

The painting intrigues him, and he may want to buy it.

Patrick, by the way, lives in Nova Scotia, Canada.

He did not go to school in Swampscott but lived there during the summers earlier in his life.

His parents had the Superior Street house from the late 1950s until 1976.

His father was in the construction business and worked wherever the Barry Brothers or Colony Construction had work.

Patrick went on to work many different jobs. 

Since his teens he worked as a bricklayer's labourer, a high school teacher of English as a second language, a mechanic's helper, a plumber's helper, an electrician's helper, a photography teacher, an audio-visual teacher, a civil servant in human relations, a bowling alley mechanic, a construction worker, a real estate agent, and a lobster boat builder for about 10 years before he retired. 

In retirement one of the things on his mind is the painting of a lady in purple with a beautiful face, long fingers and captivating eyes.


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