Mystery of the girl in the painting
JENNIFER Locke, the owner of this beautiful portrait by Russian artist Alexandra Asovtseff from the 1960s, is appealing to Sydney to help find the girl in the painting, known only as Bronwin, and return the artwork.
Mosman
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DO YOU remember Bronwin?
This beautiful portrait has proved to be a puzzle for owner Jennifer Locke and she is appealing to the community to help find the subject.
“I’d love to give it back to Bronwin if I could track her down,” she said.
“If she would like it back as a memory of herself as a beautiful teenage girl I’m very happy for her to have it.
“I don’t want any payment for it. I’d just like to return it to its rightful owner and find out a bit more of the story.”
Mrs Locke keeps looking at the painting and wishing she knew who Bronwin was so she could ring her up and ask how she ended up sitting for the artist.
The painting is dated to 1962 which means the young girl would now be in her 70s.
Mrs Locke, from Wollstonecraft, believes that Bronwin must have lived in the lower north shore area at the time.
The painting is by Russian artist Alexandra Asovtseff who lived in Neutral Bay in the 1960s.
Mrs Locke’s late husband Ian Locke has his portrait painted by her and that was how he came into ownership of the artwork. He grew up in Cardinal St in Mosman.
“She painted an enormous number of paintings for local people,” she said.
“He saw this painting of this girl Bronwin and he loved it.”
The Lockes were married for 23 years and Ian died young from a heart attack.
Mrs Locke doesn’t think Bronwin was a girlfriend of his from before they met but she doesn’t know.
“I should have asked more questions of my husband but I just accepted what he said. He wasn’t someone who told fibs,” she said.
“He said ‘It was a painting, I just liked it and I bought it’.”
If you remember Bronwin contact the Mosman Daily on 8832 1597.
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