“An unknown second version of a painting that a prominent First World War artist made of his French lover has come to light at the Antiques Roadshow – and been valued at a record £250,000. Sir William Orpen, who depicted life on the Western front, made the copy as a present for the newspaper baron Lord Beaverbrook, who had helped him escape a court martial for painting the original. Strict rules prevented military artists from painting personal subjects while on tour, but Orpen was so smitten with Yvonne Aubicque, daughter of the mayor of Lille, that he could not resist. Until now it has been thought that there was only one version of the work, given to the Imperial War Museum on Orpen’s death in 1931.But now the second version has emerged from a south east London home.”
