By Jed Lanyon
The search is on to reunite a painting with its original owner after Healesville resident Merran Macs found a portrait of a woman in her house.
Mrs Macs said she would love to see the painting returned to the woman depicted in the artwork or a family member.
The painting is the work of her mother Barbara Innes Henderson, an artist who frequently painted portraits for people in the Healesville community.
Innes arrived in Healesville in 1946 and later ran art classes at the Healesville Living and Learning Centre for several years.
“She was an artist and she trained at the National Gallery Art School during the second world war, while my father was away overseas,” Ms Macs said.
“She had painted ever since then and she mostly liked doing portraits.”
Ms Macs said her mother was unable to identify the portrait in her later years of life before she passed away in 2007, aged 97.
Ms Macs isn’t certain, but believes the portrait may have been painted in Healesville in the 1970s.
“There were always paintings of people around… So it was just another painting in the house.
“It could have been somebody from Healesville or someone who was visiting the town.
“She had connections with a lot of people in Healesville, but it could have been anybody.
“When we packed up her house, we didn’t know what to do with it… I’d be delighted if somebody could take it off my hands.”
Do you recognise the woman in the portrait? If so, get in touch by contacting editor@mailnewsgroup.com.au
