What's in a Signature?

What’s in a Signature?

Earlier this week Laura and I were talking about signing artworks which led to me saying, "My signature is as diverse as my art." She quickly alluded to the fact that if my work ever shows up to be reviewed on Pawn Stars, they wouldn’t be able to identify if my work was a true Rossbach then. We had a good chuckle over that and we talked about how Jeremy’s signature was so sleek and consistent. As artists, we labor over that signature that not only identifies your work but is the mark that is undoubtedly a badge of honor and ranks with the Rembrandts, O'Keefes, and the neighbor's kindergartener.   Frankly, I’ve given up figuring out what my "signature" signature is and when my work finally shows up in the pawnshop, well...let's just leave that right there!
  

And to sign or not to sign a print or a painting? That’s an entirely different discussion but the reason I wrote this post is that I thought it would be time to throw out a little guessing game and maybe a mystery for those who are internet sleuths.   Read on….

Here’s the story.  Yesterday, I received a message from a woman and she attached two photos; one of the signature and one of the painting. In her message, she asked if I could be the artist of a recent painting she purchased. Seriously, the signature could be mine!  Then I read the rest of the message and she said that she purchased it at a flee [sic] market in Oslo.

I’m thinking…”Oslo? Like in Oslo, Norway?”

Yes! You read that right. She bought the painting in Oslo, Norway!  This certainly is interesting!  Well, it’s not my painting, but not surprised that another person with the same last name is an artist.  I have a couple of cousins who are artists in their own right and the internet brings up a few artists that have some noted works including some serious architects and painters from the late 19th c. Europe.  Anyway, I’ve included some photos of different signatures, but ONLY one of them is not mine  – it’s the one on the mystery painting.  You have to guess which one.