Stratford gallery takes possession of rare Banksy print
A rare artwork by pseudonymous street artist Banksy is on sale at a Stratford gallery – and it could be hanging on your wall for a mere £50,000!
Lambert Fine Art, in Bell Court, has taken possession of Grannies, one of only a couple of examples of his work that come onto the open market each year.
Published by Pictures On Walls, the framed 57.5x76.5cm limited-edition print from 2006, was obtained by the gallery through a mysterious ‘private source’ linked to the artist and comes complete with a certificate of authentication.
Rendered in Banksy’s signature black and white stencil style, the pair of grannies are set against a block pink background, serving to heighten the humorous contradiction between scene and message, a technique mastered by the artist.
Director Mark Lambert said: "We are so excited to bring to the market this wonderful piece. I have personally sold many prints by Banksy over the years including an original spray work on canvas which in today’s market would be worth millions.
“This Banksy titled ‘Grannies’ is truly exceptional and in perfect condition. It’s framed and glazed with museum quality glass to protect the work for the future.”
“We are also very lucky to be working with the neo-psychedelic-cosmic-abstract-expressionist street artist Sickboy who personally worked with Banksy on many of his shows including The Bristol Museum exhibition and Dismaland in Weston-Super-Mare.”
Active since the 1990s, Banksy’s works of political and social commentary have appeared on streets, walls and bridges throughout the world but the identity of the England-based artist remains unknown.
Banksy's paintings at auction set numerous records. However, the most expensive piece ever sold at auction was the seminal Love is in the Bin which famously went for £18.6m in 2021 at Sotheby's.
Picasso, Degas, Monet, Warhol, Lowry, Renoir and Henry Moore are among some of the other international artists handled by Mark Lambert, who opened his first dealership in Stratford’s Bell Court in November. The gallery specialises in original 19th-21st Century works as well as contemporary paintings and sculpture from Royal Academy level artists.
Mark, from Knowle, has 24 years in the art business, having previously worked for two of the UK’s top international art dealerships, galleries including in The Cotswolds, London, New York and San Francisco and is connected with the major auction houses around the world such as Bonhams, Christies and Sotheby’s.
He said: “We truly believe that now is the time to bring the very finest examples of high-end original paintings and sculptures to Stratford-Upon-Avon which is something that has been missing for many years, as well as bringing with it our wealthy clients.”
