Hello. My mother sent me a gift that she purchased at J.C. Penny, a
reprodution of an english country side style painting with two white
and black rabbits chewing on a lettice leaf, the signature reads P.
Rolence. Is this a real artist?

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Request for Question Clarification by sublime1-ga on 31 Aug 2002 00:52 PDT

debbiedobbie...

Just wanted you to know someone had made an effort.
There's nothing for a P. Rolence. Any chance there's
an alternate spelling?

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Clarification of Question by debbiedobbie-ga on 31 Aug 2002 12:34 PDT

No, I dont see how there could be an alternate spelling. The
reproduction is signed P. Rolence. I am wondering if JC Penny or
whomever reatils the work either buys the rights to old master
paintings, then puts on a fake signature or if someone in a commercial
painting studio paints themes people would like then signs with a
false name or is just an entirely unknown artist.

Thanks for trying.

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 31 Aug 2002 17:56 PDT

Debbie,

I am curious whether this may be the print you're speaking of:

http://www.allposters.com/gallery.asp?aid=786467&item=311086&cat=622

This particular print is available from literally hundreds of sources
on the Internet, but I haven't found anything mentioning P. Rolence.

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Clarification of Question by debbiedobbie-ga on 31 Aug 2002 22:16 PDT

PinkFreud found it! Anyway to tell who the artist is? 
Probably "P. Dans l'usine" like digaslot suggested.

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 01 Sep 2002 03:25 PDT

Debbie,

This has been a puzzler.

I think I've reached a dead end on the bunny trail. According to two
sites which sell expensive oil paintings which are reproductions of
"Two Himalayan Rabbits," the author is "Unknown." Not P. Rolence, but
more like A. Nonymous, it appears.

Here are links to the two sites which sell the pricey items:

http://www.homefurnishings.net/Uttermost/oil-reproductions-animal-72500.html

http://www.artisticdecor.com/artistA.htm (Listed under "Artist
Unknown.")

I have gone through every Web page I could find which had any
reference to anyone named Rolence. Some interesting finds: a Taiwanese
manufacturer of dental equipment (unlikely to have painted rabbits)
and a physicist who pioneered the particle accelerator (even more
unlikely to have painted rabbits, unless they were subatomic in size.)

My devious mind has devised its own explanation. "P. Rolence" is an
anagram of "Clone Rep," which, of course, refers to the person in
charge of reproducing the prints. While this is not a very
satisfactory solution to the case, it will at least enable me to sleep
at night without seeing Himalayan rabbits in my troubled dreams.

~pinkfreud

Dear debbiedobbie,

Since you are agreeable to accepting mister A. Unknown as the source
of the "Two Himalayan Rabbits" print (as documented in my
clarification requests,) I am delighted to collect the lettuce.

I've enjoyed your interesting question and your helpful attitude. If I
should ever encounter any further data about this piece of art, I will
send another "clarification" to inform you.

Thanks so much for a fun trip down the rabbit hole!

~pinkfreud

Phoney names are not that uncommon either.  A few years ago I bought a
lovely seascape by that famous French artist P. Dans l'usine.  I still
love the painting even though I now that "P. Dans l'usine" stands for
"factory made."

You certainly did your homework, Pink Freud. I will accept artist
unknown as an answer, so cash in on the $ posted.

Strange world of Reproductive Animals, I'm actually a fine artist and
don't usually deal with inexpensive art for the masses. Yet, at the
same time I like the oddity of such an object.

Been Fun.