Renowned art historian James Fox believes that artists such as Meredith Frampton and Peter Lanyon, whom many art lovers have never heard of, are crying out to be discovered.
Fox states that "British art of the 20th century is littered with … bashful and uncommercial talents ignored by their generation or forgotten by ours.
"Some chose to paint the wrong things in the wrong ways for the wrong people, and their work never caught on.
"Others died too young, lived too long, lived in the wrong place or made terrible blunders that ended their careers in an instant."
Frampton, who died in 1984, is best known for his portraits, with works such as the 1937 A Game of Patience particularly highly thought of - by those who have heard of him. But his deteriorating eyesight meant that he painted nothing for the last 40 years of his life.
Frampton's 1945 depiction of Dr Clive Forster-Cooper, F.R.S sold for £79,200 at Bonhams in 2010.
Peter Lanyon was killed while flying a glider in 1964, just as he was on the cusp of stardom.
Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko were both fans of his work. An untitled painting from 1949 sold for £25,200 at Bonhams in 2010 against a £3,000 high end estimate; evidence that collectors may already be latching onto the artist.
 Frampton’s Dr Clive Forster-Cooper, F.R.S could be worth considerably more than £79,200 in years to come |
Then there is John Bratby, who became reasonably well-known in the mid 20th century due to his fondness for depicting domestic scenes, particularly toilets.
If Fox is proved correct, collectors, through scouring auctions and the private markets, could establish a varied portfolio of high quality art that in years to come could prove hugely valuable.
After all, the world is full of artists who were dismissed during their lifetime but are now household names, such as John Constable and Thomas Jones.
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