Mysterious Painting of the Crying Boy
by Christine B.
Who among us has not seen a painting that seems haunted—as if the eyes of the person in a painting are following us as we move across a room? Have you ever gazed upon a painting that made you feel uncomfortable? This painting of a young boy with tears on his cheeks brings the same unnerving feelings to its viewers, but for a very specific reason.
The picture was originally painted by Italian artist, Bruno Amadio, (1911-1985) also known as Giovanni Bragolin in the 1950’s. It was so popular that many prints of the picture were circulated and it began showing up in homes throughout the world.
Not long afterwards many mysterious fires began plaguing homes that had this painting/print hanging on its walls. In 1985 these fires were brought to the public’s attention by England’s Sun newspapers. Firemen reported seeing this painting hanging in many of the homes they were called to rescue. In every case, although the homes were almost totally destroyed, the paintings of the Crying Boy was unscathed. The paintings were found still hanging on the walls in pristine condition, although everything else around it was burnt and destroyed. Forty to fifty cases of this same event were documented.
There are several legends surrounding this painting and of the little boy Bruno Amadio used as a model for it. One is that the boy was a street urchin who was orphaned when his house caught on fire, killing his parents. Amadio took pity on the young boy and took him into his home, despite warnings from the local priest who was convinced that the boy was the person who set the fire that killed his mother and father.
The painting brought the artist fame and a solid income after it was reprinted, but a few years after the original was painted his Artist's shop burnt down and he lost everything. Coincidence? You all know how I feel about coincidence--no such thing. Many believe that the small child in the painting is somehow haunting it and causing the houses to burn. Is that possible? ANYTHING is possible. Just in case, I would not hang the tearful child on my wall.
