Vintage items or artworks that have been in the household for generations don't just have monetary value, but they also hold emotional significance. "Antiques Roadshow" is primarily about showcasing stunning artifacts and revealing their value, but it stands out because of the sentiments that guests and experts bring to the screen. Once a woman on the show was moved to tears, not because of the price of what she had brought, but the story of the item and the man who created it. It was a painting called ‘Moonshiners’ by one of the most innovative artists in American history, Winfred Rembert.
What set Rembert apart from his contemporaries was the fact that his paintings were hand-carved onto leather canvases. ‘Moonshiners’ was no different. He learned this impressive skill during his time in prison. That is also where he met his wife Patsy. He, however, was not a criminal. He was an African-American rights activist who joined the Civil Rights movement and was sent to prison by the authorities for raising a voice.
Antiques expert Allan Katz revealed that the first time he was arrested, Rembert was able to escape. However, he was caught shortly afterward, brutally tortured, and then sent to prison for a second time. That’s when he learned his art. The guest had acquired the painting from the artist himself in 2001 for $1,200. He passed away in 2021 but today, his legacy stands as tall as it ever has. Katz revealed that he had also met Rembert twice and the second time was at a function where he sang ‘Amazing Grace.’ That moved the guest to tears as the expert added, "There wasn't a dry eye in the house. It was so powerful." He then revealed that the painting today would be able to fetch somewhere between $100,000 to $125,000. The guest was in shock upon hearing it. “I mean, you're telling me that the art world not just values this, but values his stories, values the storyteller,” she added.
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When Rembert was arrested for the second time after he escaped prison, the nature of the torture he faced was brutal. The Cuthbert native was locked in the boot of a car and taken to an unknown location. Here, he was hung upside down from a tree and mutilated. All this because he was an advocate for equal rights for his community.
All the trauma that he suffered in his younger days didn’t entirely leave him as he grew older. ‘Moonshiners’ was one of his more light-hearted works. Some paintings even showed cotton picking (which he used to do) and lynchings. Rembert even needed a psychiatrist to help him whenever he worked on such pieces and was always grateful for the help that he received from his doctors.
“When he worked on certain scenes, on certain topics, he became physically ill. He was definitely suffering from PTSD and was diagnosed as such but that helped him and in his autobiography, he thanked the doctors who helped him which allowed him to continue to work on those subjects which are some of his most powerful artworks,” Katz explained.
