Yesterday, U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) special agents in California recovered a Works Progress Administration (WPA) watercolor painting, Interior by artist Bob Brown, from an auction gallery in Oakland, California.
OIG special agents received a tip about the painting being sold at auction. While examining the painting at the auction gallery, a special agent asked auction gallery staff to remove the protective backing from the painting’s frame. The WPA label was immediately apparent, stamped on the back of the frame.
OIG special agents will transfer the painting to the GSA Fine Arts Program office, which will find a suitable public location for the painting.
The painting had been purchased recently by the seller at a yard sale.
To learn more about our New Deal era WPA art recovery program, visit our page about it.
Interior watercolor painting by Bob Brown
