A landscape painting by Scottish artist Joan Eardley, which disappeared into private ownership after leaving a Scottish gallery in 1961, has been found in an English charity shop.
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which → disappear → shop
The painting later sold for £29,500, with all the money going towards medical research in the UK.
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money → sell → UK
The oil painting, titled Summer Fields, was found when a charity shop manager in the East Midlands accepted a dark canvas as part of a house clearance donation.
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manager → title → donation
A damaged paper label on the back of the frame offered a clue.
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label → offer → clue
It read: “Summer, Joan, Exhibited, The Scottish Gallery.”
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It → read → ?
The shop staff contacted The Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh.
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staff → contact → Edinburgh
A search of its historical records confirmed the painting's identity, 64 years after it was first sold.
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it → confirm → identity
After receiving the enquiry from the East Midlands charity shop, Tommy Zyw, director of The Scottish Gallery, checked the gallery's handwritten sales books and old daily records.
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Zyw → receive → books
The records showed that Summer Fields was first sold by Joan Eardley in May 1961.
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Fields → show → May
After confirming the details, gallery staff arranged for the painting to be safely taken back to Edinburgh for a closer inspection.
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painting → confirm → inspection
"From the moment it was unwrapped, its authenticity was clear," Zyw stated in details published by art and events website What's On Edinburgh.
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What → unwrap → Edinburgh
"The surface, the handling, the authority of the mark all pointed unmistakably to Eardley.
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surface → point → Eardley
Sixty-four years after it had left us, Summer Fields had returned."
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Fields → leave → us
Professional cleaning removed years of dirt from the canvas.
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cleaning → remove → canvas
This revealed a view of the coastal village of Catterline in Aberdeenshire in late September.
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This → reveal → September
Eardley lived and painted there during the final years of her life.
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Eardley → live → life
The painting shows part of a farmer's field in the autumn light.
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painting → show → light
Wild grasses and seed heads fill the foreground, giving the scene a rich texture.
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grasses → fill → texture
Raising funds for medical research
The painting returned to public view when The Scottish Gallery displayed it at the British Art Fair in September 2025.
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Gallery → raise → September
It was later shown at the gallery's main premises on Dundas Street in Edinburgh.
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It → show → Edinburgh
The artwork was then sold on behalf of the East Midlands charity shop to a prominent private collector of Scottish art.
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artwork → sell → art
The sale raised £29,500, making it the most valuable single item the charity had ever sold.
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charity → raise → 29,500
All the proceeds went directly towards medical research across the United Kingdom.
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proceeds → go → Kingdom
Speaking about the painting's journey, Zyw said: “This story speaks of the enduring power of Joan Eardley's painting and of the role of careful stewardship, archives, and expertise in bringing such works back into the public arena.”
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story → speak → arena
He added: “From Joan Eardley painting this work in Catterline, its sale in 1961, decades enjoyed privately then its arrival on the charity shop's shelf, to the phone call that started its return to Scotland; we have been proud to support Summer Fields on its continuing journey.”
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we → add → journey
Public exhibition and lasting legacy
The return of Summer Fields comes as the National Galleries of Scotland presents a major exhibition of Eardley's work.
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Galleries → last → work
Titled Joan Eardley | The Nature of Painting, it is being held at Modern Two in Edinburgh.
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it → title → Edinburgh
The exhibition runs from 2 April to 28 June 2026.
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exhibition → run → June
It features more than 30 works by Eardley, alongside selected pieces from the national collection.
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It → feature → collection
The display explores her work and links with Scottish and international artists of her time.
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display → explore → time
Eardley died of cancer in 1963 at the age of 42.
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Eardley → die → 42
She is still regarded as one of the most expressive British painters of the mid-20th century.
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She → regard → century
Much of her work focused on children living in Glasgow's Townhead district and the changing weather along the Kincardineshire coast.
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Much → focus → coast
The Scottish Gallery has represented Eardley's estate since it first exhibited her paintings in 1955.
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it → represent → 1955
It has continued to arrange private sales and help place her works with collectors.
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It → continue → collectors
The discovery of Summer Fields has brought an important part of Eardley's artistic history back into view.
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discovery → bring → view
Its sale has also raised £29,500 for medical research across the UK.
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sale → raise → UK
The Aporia
