Mysterious Girl...

Do you remember this painting? Was it also hanging in just about all your friends homes back in the 70's when you were a kid? Well I have done a bit of digging on this series of paintings/prints that remind me of way back then..and this is what I found..

You may not know her name or where she came from, but chances are you’ll know her face. “Tina” the mysterious and exotic painting by the equally mysterious J.H Lynch has graced our walls since her birth in the early Sixties. Part of  the world of mass market prints sold in outlets like Boots and Woolworth’s, Tina and the rest of Lynch’s overture of sultry babes were purchased in their thousands, becoming a household staple for the rest of the Sixties and Seventies. Amy Rosa reports.

In the last 20 years vintage ‘mass market art’ has emerged as key decoration for any vintage-inspired home with the choice ranging from green ladies to crying boys and the ever impending presence of  sad-eyed Spanish children baring down from many a junk shop wall and flea market stall. The right print, by the right artist, can often command prices of £100+, so it can prove expensive to find the perfect painting to adorn your walls.
Wide-eyed children might not be your cup of tea nor the supposedly cursed crying boy paintings (urban legend has it that unless you have both the crying boy and crying girl on your walls, your house will burn down). Tretchikoff and his ladies in hues of green and blue can prove pricey, ranging from £50 to well over £100. So if you want the sex appeal of a green lady and bags of kitsch chic without such a hefty price tag, J.H Lynch and his Tina could be perfect for you.
Little is known about British artist Joseph Henry Lynch (b. 1911) despite painting an image that has been part of the British psyche for the last 45 years. He died aged 78 in 1989 having destroyed many of his original paintings and donating what little was left to charity. It seems impossible to find any information about Lynch’s activities before the Sixties.

It’s known that Tina was painted in 1961, and three years later in 1964 she would go on sale in Boots in the UK. An instant hit, Tina has appeared in Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 cult classic A Clockwork Orangeand graced the cover of Edwyn Collin’s number four hit single “A Girl Like You” (1994).

Following Tina’s success Lynch produced more prints, all in the same style of a dusky maiden, often half dressed and surrounded by dark, lush greenery or the proverbial Mediterranean villa. The most well known include Nymph, Woodland Goddess and Lisa. It’s rumoured that the 1955 winner of “Most Beautiful Teenager in Great Britain”, Alexandra Moyens, was the model for Tina and many more of Lynch’s paintings. The painting “Autumn Leaves” bears an uncanny resemblance to Sixties model Jean Shrimpton.
So if you think a lovely Lynch lady is for you it’s worth browsing your local car boot sale, flea market and even eBay. You really shouldn’t expect to pay more than £40/£50 for the likes of Tina and other well known Sixties prints. Tina can be found with the original guilt frame, under glass or the more common cream frame. The glass version seems to be more prone to decolourisation and fading, but when in good condition becomes highly desirable amongst fans and collectors alike.
Best tip I can give is shop around, I’ve known “Tinas” to be had for as little as £1 at boot sales.

From Queens of Vintage -  http://queensofvintage.com/mysterious-girl-tina-and-the-art-of-j-h-lynch

J H Lynch -  www.jhlynch.org