During Kitchen Remodeling, a Painting Discovered... Turns Out to Be a 17th Century English Artwork

Discovered in an Apartment in York, UK
Estimated 17th-Century Mural Found

A centuries-old mural was discovered during remodeling in a small apartment in the UK.

On the 22nd (local time), according to foreign media such as 'CNN', Luke Burdworth (29), the owner of an apartment in Yorkshire, England, recently found a hidden painting behind a wall during kitchen remodeling work.

The painting was first discovered by a construction worker who was carrying out the work. The worker asked Burdworth, "Do you know there is a painting behind the wall?" and Burdworth went to the apartment himself to check the mysterious painting.

17th-century mural discovered at Luke Burdworth's residence. [Image source=Luke Burdworth Twitter]

After seeing the painting in the apartment, Burdworth thought, "Could there be more paintings behind the wall?" His guess was correct. The painting found during the remodeling was connected to another painting behind the wall.

The discovered mural measured 2.7m in width and 1.2m in height, depicting an angel pulling the hand of a man trapped inside a birdcage. While investigating the painting, Burdworth realized that the mural represented a scene from the 1600s poet Francis Quarles' work 'Emblems'.

Subsequently, the Public Heritage Committee, a public institution managing historical sites in the UK, sent experts to the apartment for detailed photography. The committee estimated the mural's creation date to be between 1635 and 1700, a period when the popularity of murals in the UK began to decline after the publication of Quarles' book.

In a statement, the committee said, "It is remarkable to find a 17th-century mural in a Yorkshire apartment," and added, "We will support the apartment owners in preserving the mural well." Burdworth plans to use the mural as interior decoration.

Meanwhile, York is a small town in northern England with a history dating back to the Roman Empire. It is famous for preserving castles, fortresses, and city walls built hundreds of years ago. The apartment owned by Burdworth is also known to be a historic building constructed in 1747.