Is my J Roybal Painting original?

[vsquaredvintage]

 

 

Hi - I have a couple of J Royal oil paintings which I always thought they are original until I saw one same (slightly different) oil painting selling online. Anyone knows how to determine if mine is original or reproduction? (I posted two pictures here, one is mine, and the other one is the one I just found online). 

thanks! 

[maxine*j]

I imagine they're from China.  You can buy "J Roybal" paintings in bulk from Chinese wholesalers, like this:

https://www.royal-painting.com/J-Roybal/J-Roybal-oil-paintings.html.

And, as you have found, you can find all sorts of slightly different versions of yours with a Google search.

There's some question whether or not "J Roybal" ever existed and, if so, whether it was a man or a woman, English or American.  The current most popular claim is that the name is "Joyce Roybal," while others have claimed it was "Joachim" or "Jacob."  Whatever the name,  there's no question that paintings so signed are mass produced in China's painting factories.  In fact, they could be bought in bulk as long ago as the 1970s.

Doesn't mean they aren't colorful and decorative. Does mean that even if Roybal did or does exist, the chance that you have one of her or his original paintings is exceedingly slim.

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[vsquaredvintage]

Thank you Maxine! I probably should ask the question in this way, is any of those paintings I posted original by Joyce Roybal, or neither is Joyce Roybal original? and how could I tell?   (Coz I was assuming J Roybal refers to Joyce Roybal). Thank you! 

[sonomabarn67]

Provenance.  Do you have any? Is there is anything linking Roybal to an actual painting? Or person? If so, bring it forward and present your case. Show the world your proof. Just thinking you might have original paintings doesn't cut the mustard. Where did you get them? It's like de-classifying top secret documents, you can't just think it, you need proof.

[maxine*j]

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@vsquaredvintage wrote:

Thank you Maxine! I probably should ask the question in this way, is any of those paintings I posted original by Joyce Roybal, or neither is Joyce Roybal original? and how could I tell?   (Coz I was assuming J Roybal refers to Joyce Roybal). Thank you! 

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I think I answered the question.  I do not even know if such a person exists.  There are thousands of paintings signed "J Roybal," and they are well-known products of Chinese painting factories.   It is only in comparatively recent years that someone started calling them "Joyce Robals."  The J has been said to be the first initial of other names, male ones.  In any event, the paintings have been produced in mass for decades, signed simply "J Roybal."

If your own research convinces you there is such an artist as J or Joyce Robal -- and you will have to dig deep, far deeper than I ever have, while noting that much of "her" "biography" is just copied from one person to the next without citation or verification -- then you will also have uncovered experts who can evaluate the work for you.  No one, of course, can authenticate any painting from a photo.

You have your work cut out for you!  Have fun with it!  Make it one of your hobbies.  And let us know what you find.

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[vsquaredvintage]

I was not thinking nothing but was simply asking if any of those two are original Joyce Roybal? And how to tell if a painting is Joyce Roybal? Why it is so difficult for you you understand a question 

[vsquaredvintage]

Now I got it. So ur saying even Joyce Roybal is not a person that surely exists…..Very good to know. And thank you! 

[sonomabarn67]

vsquaredvintage wrote: "Why it is so difficult for you you understand a question"

I understood your question perfectly at a genius level like six plays ahead in chess.  I hit on many aspects of your paintings that you haven't even thought of in my quest to help you. If you can't answer tough questions about the authenticity you'll never understand the why of why your paintings might be fakes/copies/forgeries and could possibly repeat the same mistakes on other paintings. I'm trying to save you from that path. I think you might have me confused with another poster.

[stusi]

There likely was never a J. Roybal. The works are a ripoff of the work of Graciela Rodo Boulanger. Roybals have no real resale value over and above what unsavvy people are willing to pay for them.

[vsquaredvintage]

Thank you. That is very helpful and good to know about Graciela Rodo Boulanger! 

[maxine*j]

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@stusi wrote:

There likely was never a J. Roybal. The works are a ripoff of the work of Graciela Rodo Boulanger. Roybals have no real resale value over and above what unsavvy people are willing to pay for them.

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With elements of Fernando Botero thrown in for good measure.

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[mi_491966]

Joyce Roybal is a British Postwar & Contemporary artist who was born in 1955. His artworks are influcened by another artist called Graciela ...

[maxine*j]

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@mi_491966 wrote:

Joyce Roybal is a British Postwar & Contemporary artist who was born in 1955. His artworks are influcened by another artist called Graciela ...

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That is the current, oft-copied bio, the current one everyone copies and pastes, among several bios -- and it has no more evidence or substance than any of the previous ones did. They variously disagree on what the J stands for, whether the artist is male or female, born in the US or the UK, and so on.  They are all fantasies.

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[tobaccocardyahoo]

Back in the 1970s these "paintings" which "were inspired" by Boulanger were viewed as "third avenue art" like the many knockoffs of the paintings by Keene.

Their value then was like their value now, whatever a dealer could sell these "decorative" items to someone they appeal to.

Authenticity is not an issue for sales of "art" which are primarily "decorative" unless you are foolish enough to make claims that you cannot substantiate.

[ppt8823]

I have currently a painting bought from a person who directly purchased it from this artist in 1998, with the receipt and signature still kept tucked in at the back! Definitely a British artist (whether or not is being copied by the Chinese!..)