From Prop to Priceless Art: The Incredible Journey of a Lost Painting in 'Stuart Little'
How a forgotten artwork became a $285,700 treasure after decades hidden in plain sight.
In a fascinating case of art and film intersecting, a famous lost painting was used as a prop in the 1999 family film Stuart Little, only to be rediscovered over a decade later.
The story begins in 2009 when art historian Gergely Barki was watching the movie and noticed an intriguing painting hanging in the Littles’ home. The artwork was identified as Sleeping Lady with Black Vase, created by Hungarian painter Róbert Berény in the 1920s.
This discovery was remarkable because the painting had been considered lost by the art community after World War II. However, it had actually been quietly auctioned off in the 1990s and eventually sold to Sony Pictures for just $500, where it was used as a film prop without anyone realising its true significance.
Barki’s curiosity led him to contact Sony to trace the painting’s whereabouts. He then traveled to the United States to meet with the film’s set designer, who still possessed the prop. Upon inspection, they confirmed that it was indeed Berény’s work. This revelation sparked widespread interest, and in 2014, the painting was auctioned for an impressive $285,700 — an extraordinary increase from its modest sale price 15 years earlier.
This story highlights how art can quietly travel through time and media, often unnoticed until someone uncovers its hidden history. The case of Sleeping Lady with Black Vase exemplifies how a piece of lost art can resurface unexpectedly, gaining recognition and value long after its initial disappearance.
