The Cartoonist Who Faked a Rockwell

Remember that story about the HENRY cartoonist? Cartoonist Don Trachte hid a Rockwell painting from his wife. He was a friend of Rockwell's, and had bought the below painting, titled "Breaking Home Ties," from Mr. Rockwell in 1960 for $900.


(Above: "Breaking Home Ties" by Rockwell)

Then Trachte secretly painted a copy of it, passing it off as the original when he and his wife divorced. This ruse went undiscovered for something like 40 years, until this past spring when his son came upon a hidden room in Trachte's house. And there, in this tiny, dark space between walls, was the real Rockwell. Mr. Trachte also did this with a bunch of other paintings.


(Above: "Breaking Home Ties" by Trachte)

Now the formerly hidden Rockwell has been sold at auction for a record $15.4 million.

THE BEAT has the story.

And there's the story here at the Norman Rockwell Museum site, as well as many more photos and some video of the hidden room.