Bill Stoneham created this painting in 1972. He was inspired by a photograph of himself as a five-year-old boy with a little girl. After Stoneham created the painting, it was shown at the Feingarten Gallery in Beverly Hills, California, where actor John Marley took a liking to it and bought it. Marley’s most memorable role was in The Godfather.

However, after John Marley’s death, the painting was somewhere separated from Marley’s estate, and it was found at a brewery by an older couple from California. They decided to keep the painting.

However, in February 2000, the elderly couple put the painting up for auction on eBay. The listing included a bizarre description, and the seller mentioned that the painting was cursed and haunted. The seller’s description also claimed that the painting comes alive, and the kids in the painting come out of the painting to the room it is currently staying in. Included in the description were various photos taken of this haunted occurrence. Word of this weird eBay listing traveled fast: the auction listing had over 30,000 views before it was sold! The painting had gotten over 30 bids due to the seller’s description indicating so much interest.

The winning bid was $1,025.00 by the Perception Gallery in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Which still has the painting to this day. After receiving the painting, the Perception Gallery contacted Bill Stoneham and told them about the exciting history of the eBay listing. Stoneham was shocked by the news of the painting’s history and supposedly haunting presence.

The owner of the Perception Galley and an art critic who reviewed the painting passed away within a year of being close to the painting. Due to the overwhelming response to the original artwork, Stoneham did have people reach out to him about doing a commission piece. So, in 2004, he created a second painting called Resistance at the Threshold. Where the boy in the original artwork is now an adult.

Years after the second commission was made, Stoneham made a third commission due to another request. That one was called The Hands Invent Him. Where the boy from the first painting is an artist, and he is on the inside of the house where the two kids are on the outside.

What do you think? Do you believe that the original painting was haunted? Did the kids from the painting come out at night?

Comment below!

Until next time!

Source: Wikipedia