SARASOTA, Fla. — It’s been one of the greatest art mysteries of Tampa Bay and one of the best-kept secrets.
A painting stolen from the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in 1991 was recovered in 2017 but kept a secret until the Van Wezel’s 50th-anniversary celebration this weekend.
“People laugh at me and ask why do I go to garage sales? I realize I can find anything at garage sales,” says Eric Bowyer, a Sarasota architect who loves checking out garage and estate sales on weekends.
Bowyer’s treasure hunting has paid off. He says he sold one painting for $43,000. He’s currently working on authenticating another work he picked up for 4 bucks as one by Salvador Dali. He has another painting that may be a Thomas Moran original and he’s almost sure one gem is by Georgia O’Keefe.
But this is among his top finds.
“It was exciting to solve that mystery,” says Bowyer.
A 28-year-old mystery.
Two years ago while at an estate sale in Sarasota, he stumbled on a painting called “Palette.”
“I recognized the artist Jon Corbino ... one of the greatest artists in America. He passed away very young in Sarasota at 59,” recalls Bowyer.
After some negotiating, Bowyer bought the painting for $25. He did some research and a day later received a call from Corbino’s daughter.
She breaks the bad news.
“I have to tell you that painting was stolen from the Fine Arts Society,” Bowyer said she told him.
It was stolen in 1991 while on display at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, and it was valued at $9,500 back then.
“Such excitement and thrill to see this,” says Vern Weitz, president of the Fine Arts Society of Sarasota.
Bowyer could have sold it. Instead, he returned it to the Fine Arts Society of Sarasota.
“It’s valuable to us another piece of our collection,” Weitz said, adding “Our collection is unique because we have Florida artists, or artists who worked in Florida or taught in Florida.”
And the painting too is unique; Corbino drew it on a painter’s wooden palette, hence the name.
“The painting itself is a circus theme. There is a horse and its rider on top,” describes Weitz.
Bowyers adds, “They asked if I wanted a reward. I said, 'Of course not. My reward is to be able to give this back to you.'”
Who stole the painting? No one knows for sure.
Bowyer says the son of the woman’s estate where he bought the painting told him a man asked his mother to store several pieces of artwork, but he never returned for them.
The painting will be on display Tuesday starting at 10 a.m. for one day only at the Van Wezel. The Fine Arts Society of Sarasota plans to add it to the collection of 50 paintings at the Performing Arts Hall.
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