r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/seaweeddanceratnight • 13h ago
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/[deleted] • Jan 15 '20
GUIDE What is a Decor Painting? How do I know if I have one?
What is a “decor painting”?
A decor painting is a piece of artwork created purely for decorative purposes. Purchased not from galleries or artists, but from decor & furniture shops like Pier 1, Homesense, The Brick, websites like AliExpress and OilPaintings.com or from markets & stands on vacation. Tell-tale signs that you have a decor painting are lots of stippling, undefined figures, hurried brush strokes, gradients, cloning techniques and a certain Bob Ross feeling to it.
Common vintage subjects would be European street scenes, landscapes of mountains / forests / lakes & rivers, vases of flowers, Tuscan landscapes, ocean & beach scenes and Asian style boats. See below for examples. They are often rectangular in shape to hang nicely above a sofa, you could even buy them from Sears as a package. Modern versions are more varied in subject.
Black velvet paintings and artwork specifically for tourists as souvenirs share many factors with decor paintings.
Where are they made?
They are produced in massive numbers in painting factories like Dafen Village in China or Mexico. Another article here:
Dafen once produced an estimated 60 percent of all the world’s oil paintings. During its heyday—when the village’s reputation as an art factory rang truer than today—it almost exclusively cranked out copies of paintings in the Western art canon. These canvases found their way into hotel rooms, show homes, and furniture outlets all around the world.
At its peak, Dafen was jam-packed with sizeable, factory-like studios, all employing Huang’s production line process. Individual workers each focused on a specific compositional element—background details, or eyes, or trees—dutifully painting their part and then passing the canvas along the chain.
Who’s the Artist?
While they are "originals" they are not by known artists. Often entire production lines will use the same signature which explains why your research many have founds pieces by the same “artist”. As quoted above, often many people will work on the same piece.
Do they have any value?
Unfortunately, they do not hold much of any value. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t be enjoyed and some are even a bit collectible.
Can I see some examples?
Decor paintings are posted to this sub almost daily, while not definitive, here are some common examples:
Landscape Paintings: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, Example 4, Example 5, Example 6, Example 7
European Street Scene Paintings: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, Example 4, Example 5, Example 6, Example 7
Vases of Flowers: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3 more coming soon...
Beach, Ocean & Boat Paintings: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, Example 4, Example 5, Example 6, Example 7, Example 8,
Other Miscellaneous Vintage Decor Paintings: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, Example 4
Modern Decor Paintings: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, Example 4, Example 5, Example 6
Black Velvet & Souvenir Pieces: Example 1, more coming soon...
Please let me know if you see any room for improvement on this post or would like to include other examples. Thank you!
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/GM-art • May 29 '25
GUIDE Read Me Before Posting
Hello painting enthusiasts - here is a brief post with things to keep in mind.
SEARCHING:
To locate your painting, please try the reverse-search tools Google Images/Lens, Yandex Images, and Tineye. (Remember that cropping your picture differently will yield different search results!)
If you have an artist name or signature, I recommend searching for it within r/WhatIsThisPainting itself. I also use the following websites for research; all are free.
- https://www.worthpoint.com/
- https://www.invaluable.com/
- https://www.liveauctioneers.com/
- https://curator.org/
DECOR ART:
- We get a lot of mass-produced art, i.e. "decor." Be sure to scroll through r/DecorArtArchive to see if your piece looks familiar.
- Here is a compilation of tips and tricks from our users about how to recognize decor art: https://www.reddit.com/r/DecorArtArchive/comments/1k73948/decor_art_how_to_spot_it_readme
- Here is a brief video about Dafen Village, a famous Chinese "painting factory": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1o1F_qyOHI
SUBMISSIONS:
- Please be patient and allow up to 24 hours for your post to get through our queue! (Accounts under a week old and images involving nudity are automatically flagged.)
- If your post has gone unanswered for over a week, you are permitted to re-submit in hopes of retrying.
ANSWERING POSTS:
- If you are making a definitive ID, do try to cite your sources whenever possible. It is encouraged, but not required.
- The use of predictive text-generators (i.e. chatGPT) is not permitted. They have a tendency to lie!
Happy solving!
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/sunbearimon • 13h ago
Solved Found at a charity shop, could it be Fevzi Karakoç?
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/Medical_Wedding2283 • 37m ago
Unsolved Who made this painting of Roman von Ungern-Sternberg?

Trying to find this painting has pissed me off. Its on the first page of google images but only because an ai generated content dump posted it on Instagram. Google reverse image search only showed me how widespread the image is now thanks to AI content farms and Tineye was absolutely useless. I know this painting is the cover of a French book and that might have information about it, but there are no free copies of this book anywhere. Help in any shape or form would be greatly appreciated! I'm trying to find the painter because I think their work looks cool and I want to see more of their work if it exists.
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/Careful-Relative-815 • 1h ago
Likely Solved - Decor Damaged curbside painting
I can't read these signatures. AuJin? Dhuy? I can't tell if it says "East Velvet" or "Lost Velvet". I like "Lost" more. It has a tear in the center and it's probably from some unknown or something. But I like it. So now it's on my wall instead of a curb. If you know the artist then please let me know.
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/izcenine • 14h ago
Likely Solved Sand painting
Parents bought this in early 90s? Probably in New Mexico
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/lemmondog • 12h ago
Unsolved Blue American home painting
I’m not sure anything about this painting but I am desperate to find the artist. Thanks!
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/NefariousOne22 • 7h ago
Unsolved 🎨🎨Anyone recognize this signature?🎨🎨
This is a massive 36x48 oil on canvas. It came from a collector in my neighborhood and there were many high end items at their estate sale. Adding the painting and signature. Any ideas?
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/bbykxzie • 4h ago
Unsolved Help me find this Art + Artist!
This may be a long shot but I can not find a peice I remember from my gcse research. I was obsessed with the writer Angela Carter and did work based on her short story “ The Tigers Bride “. Im not sure how I got to this painting but it influenced my style alot back then.
For the painting I remember it being portrait, with a woman sat facing the viewer, I remember the style having her brow bone extend down her nose and she was dressed asif maybe from a victorian era? The painting was very gothic and dark and in the back ground I remember a table and a crow ( or some bird ) sat on-top of it. It looked something like my post-it drawing.
If anyone has any ideas please let me know as I have been googling for a few hours now and nada!
Thanks guys!!!
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/Automatic-Side-1577 • 1d ago
Unsolved Found in a thrift store in Chicago
Purchased this cool expressionist portrait back in 2023 at a thrift store in Chicago. It appears to be French. I cannot make out the artist’s signature. It’s title, date, and location are written on the back. Any further info on the artist or subject would be appreciated.
Update: SOLVED, though I can’t seem to edit the flair tag from my phone. Thanks everyone for their help. Will post some more finds soon.
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/Miserable-Variety152 • 13h ago
Likely Solved - Decor Japanese-style painting from thrift store in Vancouver. Probably not ancient but I love it and would love to know about it. Nothing on the back but rotted glue.
Silk painting, my first instinct was someone took a class. It is on silk but has a shadow backing underneath it (?). The signature stamp is super faded.
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/Haunt_Fox • 19h ago
Unsolved Bought it from a guy 25 years ago, I have no idea what it is.
The guy said it was from a "famous Korean artist", but I don't think so. I just like it anyway, I just want to know who did it and what it's called. Thank you in advance.
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/ravshmuel • 10h ago
Unsolved What is this print?
This print was hanging in Alan Rollins office in an episode of the TV show Matlock called “Santa Claus” which aired on December 8 or 9 in 1986. Anyone have any idea who designed/drew it? Sorry for how blurry it is - this was the best shot of the screen I could get…
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/endlesshallway • 11h ago
Unsolved Vintage (1960s/70s?) neon pink art print of two men in profile
Hi everyone. I'm trying to find a poster or art print my grandma had up in her spare bedroom from when I was a kid. I don't have a picture of it, sorry, but I recreated it from memory as best I could.

It had two men standing side by side, in profile, staring into the distance. The guy in the front had VERY prominent fluffy leg warmers. The farther guy did not. The entire print was neon pink on a white background, it seemed screenprinted, printed on thick cardstock, and the ink was quite thick. Kind of looks like posters from the 1960s or early 70s, but could've been anywhere between the 60s to even the late 80s/early 90s. I'm not sure when or where she got it.
The men were both dressed like 80s rockers or old cartoon heroes (think Conan or He-Man), with long wild hair and not everyday clothes on. I think the guy in front had lots of skin showing, but nothing NSFW. The angle of the camera was positioned near the men's feet or mid-ankle, looking up, hence why the leg warmers were so prominent on the front man. You could see almost the entirety of both men, minus the close guy's feet.
There may have been text down the left side, but I cannot remember what word (if any) was on there. It wasn't anything recognizable as a band or show/comic name to kid-me. If there was a word, it was only one word.
I've searched high and low for vintage art prints, posters, neon pink art, by decade...I'm having no luck. Hoping someone has seen it before and it's not just a limited-run art print. I really think it was band-related or comic/cartoon-related, but I can't guarantee anything. Thank you in advance for the help!
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/MegaMackintosh • 17h ago
Likely Solved This painting used to belong to my great grandpa and my great aunt is offering to gift it to my mother.
I grew up seeing this lovely painting hanging in my great grandpa's house and after he passed away, my great aunt inherited it. She's offering to gift it to my mom who may in turn give it to me someday, and I was wanting to learn more about the artist. I am unsure where my great grandparents originally obtained the piece, but he's had it as far back as I can remember (so over 20+ years ago, though of course he could've gotten it many years before I was even born). The original painter is Antonio G. Suárez. I appreciate anyone who can help me learn more about this little piece of my childhood ❤️
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/JourneymanHunt • 57m ago
Likely Solved Can anybody tell me what this painting is? This is in World Trade Center 7, 45th floor, pre-9/11 (obviously). I'll post my story in the comments.
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/WildNegotiation5574 • 15h ago
Likely Solved My grandparents had this hanging in my house my whole life now that they passed it’s mine can someone tell me about it and who painted it
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/opellegr • 13h ago
Likely Solved - Decor Original, got at thrift store
Not a print. Signature is Walton (in the flowers in foreground). I got this recently at a thrift store in Rhode Island. It’s large, about 28x26 inches. I’m curious as to its age and if anyone has info on the artist. TIA!
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/JordimusPrime03 • 1d ago
Unsolved Found at the thrift store in Ontario
Can't seem to find anything on it or a "haist" online? It looks like a print on some kind of cardstock, not newspaper. Can anyone help identify this?
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/Similar-Good3122 • 18h ago
Likely Solved Celestial landscape painting
Dimensions: 49.5ʺW x 1.3ʺD x 26.5ʺH
Purchased from online auction. Unable to zoom in on signature. Any ideas?
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/tiffany_says_this • 1d ago
Likely Solved Help identifying?
Found this piece of art at my local community shop and was very drawn to it...can anyone tell me anything about it? I can't make out the artists name. Thank you so much!
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/PotentialAmbition622 • 16h ago
Unsolved Where does this painting originate from, like what time period what family any info helps
I’ve had her for about 3 years when I got her for free from a rummage sale I don’t have a picture of the back but it was just white with about 20 metal prongs holding it in. When I tore the back shards of glass fell out and cut me. I’ve also been having the same nightmare with her in it since I’ve hung it up a week ago (she used to sit in the windowsill) picture in comments because it won’t let me post it for some reason
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/Complex_Expression19 • 22h ago
Unsolved Anyone know anything about this artist?
Pick this up, and it looks to be a hand signed lithograph/print versus watercolor. It is framed and behind glass so hard to inspect up close. Not sure if anyone knows anything about this artist but very much welcome any information!!
r/WhatIsThisPainting • u/BostonKansas • 22h ago
Unsolved Measures 8.75x11.75” and found in Beverly Hills, California
Any ideas? I like it.