Painting by 'acclaimed artist' bought for £165,000 rejected as worthless fake

Owner believed it was a genuine William Nicholson - but the leading expert wasn't convinced

A painting bought for £165,000 and attributed to British artist Sir William Nicholson has been branded a worthless fake.

The still life of a glass jug and pears was left out of the official list of Nicholson's known works after being rejected by the leading expert, Patricia Reed.

It was re-examined by BBC One's Fake Or Fortune? after new scientific evidence linked it to the artist's own paint box, which is kept in his grandson's house.

A handwriting expert also confirmed that writing on the back of the painting was very likely to have been written by Nicholson himself.

Reformed art forger John Myatt told the programme that he had faked a Nicholson during his criminal career – but not this painting.

However the programme eventually concluded there was not enough direct evidence to prove that he executed the work himself.

It has been suggested that it could have been made by amateur "Sunday painters" tutored by Nicholson during the 1930s. One of his most famous students in this group was Winston Churchill.

Presenter Fiona Bruce said: "I'm genuinely shocked by that verdict. I didn't expect it. I thought the case was so strong."

Nicholson, the son of a Conservative MP, was born in Newark-on-Trent in 1972 and also worked as an illustrator, theatre designer, wood-engraver and children's author. He was knighted in 1936 and died in 1949.

The last major exhibition of his works was at the Royal Academy in 2004.

PA