Rare 18th-Century Portrait Authenticated as Katherine Read Work

A previously unattributed 18th-century portrait, brought to the BBC program Fake or Fortune? wrapped in a sleeping bag, has been authenticated as a work by Scottish painter Katherine Read. The painting, inherited by retiree Mary-Louise Wedderburn from an uncle about twenty years ago, depicts an unknown Indian woman adorned with a pearl necklace, emerald pendant, and traditional nose ornament. Research suggests the sitter likely belonged to the family of the Nawabs of Arcot, rulers of the Madras region (now Chennai). The authentication involved family documents, letters, wills, archival research, and technical analysis by experts, including comparisons with Read's portrait of her niece Helena Beatson. Art historian Charles Greig, who led the evaluation, stated the evidence eliminates doubts about authorship. The work is now valued at over £100,000. Researchers believe it may be the earliest known portrait of an Indian woman by a European female painter, and unlike many colonial-era depictions, the sitter appears to be part of the local political elite. Katherine Read, once a highly prestigious portraitist who studied across European art centers and earned more than contemporaries like Thomas Gainsborough, saw her legacy obscured as tastes changed and her works were misattributed to male artists. The rediscovery adds a significant work to Read's catalog and supports the historical revision recovering women artists' contributions.