The Curse of 'The Crying Boy' Painting
'The Crying Boy'
Image supplied by Wikipedia
My Introduction to the Painting
When I was a young child in the '70s, I became fascinated by a painting in my grandmother’s house. The painting was a cheap print of a well-known piece and was hung on the living room wall of her small terraced house. The reason I was so fascinated was that the picture depicted a child. The boy was a similar age to me and, for some reason, looked sad and downcast, tears brimming from his troubled eyes. I was so attached to the painting I even gave the sad child a name.
A few years after the painting went up on the wall, there was a devastating kitchen fire in the house. While the kitchen was destroyed, the rest of the house was undamaged. Despite this, the painting of the boy was removed and thrown into a skip along with the contents of the kitchen. For years it puzzled me why my grandmother did this until I read a series of articles about a cursed painting. That painting was The Crying Boy.
'The Crying Boy' was one of a series of paintings by artist Giovanni Bragolin completed in the 1950s.
Image supplied by Massimo Polidoro
Giovanni Bragolin
The Crying Boy was one of a series of paintings by artist Giovanni Bragolin completed in the 1950s. The series depicted young, teary-eyed children. While it may seem strange to want an image of a weeping child on your wall, the pictures proved popular all over the world. In the UK alone, over 50,000 copies were sold. The children represented were often poor and very beautiful. One boy's image particularly tugs on the heartstrings, his eyes a sad reflection of his soul. He became known as "The Crying Boy." In total, Bragolin painted over sixty paintings, and up until the early eighties, prints and reprints of his images continued to be mass produced.
The Blazing Curse Is Born
In 1985, the most popular tabloid newspaper in the United Kingdom printed a story that caused panic and ended the popularity of Bragolin’s work. The Sun published an article entitled "Blazing Curse of the Crying Boy." The story described the terrible experience of May and Ron Hall after their Rotherham home was destroyed by fire. The cause of the fire, much like my grandmother’s, was a chip pan that overheated and burst into flames. The fire spread rapidly and destroyed everything on the ground floor. Only one item remained intact—a print of The Crying Boy on their living room wall. Distraught at their loss, the devastated couple made the bizarre claim that the painting was cursed and it, not the chip pan, was the cause of the fire.
A Child Is Blamed
The tale would have disappeared into the archives of the strange and mysterious stories that peppered The Sun, except for one thing. A firefighter claimed that he had attended at least 15 house fires where everything was destroyed. The only thing left complete in each home was the picture of The Crying Boy. Before long, the story gathered momentum, and a rash of fires all over the United Kingdom were blamed on the cursed child. In subsequent articles, The Sun went on to claim:
• A woman in Surrey lost her house to a fire six months after buying the painting.
• Two sisters in Kilburn had fires in their homes after buying a copy of the painting. One sister even claimed to have seen her painting sway backwards and forwards on the wall.
• A concerned woman on the Isle of Wight attempted to burn her painting without success and then went on to suffer a run of bad luck.
• A gentleman in Nottingham who possessed a print of the painting lost his home, and his family was injured.
• A pizza parlor in Norfolk was destroyed, including every painting on its walls except for The Crying Boy.
When The Sun reported that even rational firefighters refused to have a copy of The Crying Boy in their homes, the reputation of the painting was damned forever.
A Halloween Bonfire
In all these cases, and many more that were reported, the painting of The Crying Boy remained unharmed. Eventually, if there was an image of a crying child by any artist in a house that went on fire, the painting was blamed. Some claimed that they experienced bad luck if they attempted to destroy or get rid of their paintings. Others were convinced that it was only a matter of time before disaster struck them. After printing more articles and scare stories, The Sun offered a frightened public a solution: on Halloween 1985, hundreds of the paintings were collected together by the newspaper and burnt under the supervision of the Fire Brigade.
The Curse
So why would this seemingly innocent series of paintings be cursed? Before long, speculation was rife. Theories ranged from the little boy being a gypsy child whose family placed a curse on the artist. Some claimed that the child had died in a fire and his spirit was trapped in the painting. The most enduring story claimed the crying boy accidentally set fire to the studio of the artist who had painted him. The child’s parents had also been killed in a blaze. Wherever the little orphan went, fires mysteriously followed, earning him the nickname Diablo or Devil. The boy supposedly survived to early adulthood but was tragically killed when his car crashed and burst into flames. From then onwards, it was his image that carried on his cursed fascination with fire.
Debunked
In a bid to debunk the stories that grew up around the painting of The Crying Boy, various experts offered their own theories. A frustrated Fire Brigade pointed out that in all cases where there had been fires, there was a rational explanation. The fires, in almost all cases, could be traced back to human carelessness or electrical faults. What they couldn’t explain was the evidence that the paintings often remained intact when everything around them was destroyed. In a 2010 video made by Steve Punt and available on YouTube, a painting of The Crying Boy is set alight in a bid to decide the matter once and for all. By the time the fire burns out, the corner of the painting is scorched, but it remains largely intact, and the face remains untouched. Yet The Sun, who first published the story of The Crying Boy, had no trouble incinerating hundreds of copies. Possibly the simplest of explanations is that the picture is printed onto fire retardant materials. Quite simply, the manufacturer of the print created a fire-resistant product that became a victim of its own success. The debate continues.
Better Safe Than Sorry?
My grandmother was not a superstitious woman. Indeed, she went on to have another much worse fire some years later when her refrigerator overheated. Was she right, then, to throw away her painting of my little friend because of unsubstantiated rumours? I think so. While there is probably a very rational explanation for the phenomenon of The Crying Boy painting, where curses are concerned, I believe it is better to be safe than sorry. Or is it? You decide.
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Comments
creppy on August 15, 2020:
My grandmother has that painting in my grandpas bedroom but he passed away years ago. And my mother, father, my dog and I leave downstairs and my grandmother lives upstairs. So my point is that my grandmother is crazy she sees people or she sits every day without moving (basically she doesn’t even know what year it is) my father checks up on her every single day and she is even trying to get him crazy too. And I’m scared that she got crazy bcs of that picture and sometimes paranormal activities happend in my bedroom like minutes ago my curtains fell and nobody touched them. I’m very scared every day and I don’t know if it is that picture making the problems.
Ann Carney (author) from UK on April 21, 2020:
That is very, very sad. I am so sorry.
Punx on April 21, 2020:
One of my cousins was an artist by hobby, and he painted the exact picture with such perfection. His painting was too good.
One day he left with friends for a vacation/trip to a beach and later ended up dead while swimming - this happened around 17 years ago. The painting still remains in his house, but I realized the horrors behind this painting only recently. A lot of tragic things have happened in his house but his death being the most devastating.
Ingrid on April 07, 2020:
We had a painting of the crying boy in our house for 12 years until 2 hours ago my grandma told me to put the painting in the fireplace bc she was reading about this earlier that the house could start burning and the only thing that would not burn was the painting, when she told me that I was creeped out, and I’m just 13 years now. But I think my grandma was really scared when she was reading it.
Ann Carney (author) from UK on December 29, 2019:
Thank you for your kind comment Tim.
Tim Truzy from U.S.A. on December 25, 2019:
fascinating story. I did not know of this tale, but it certainly is spooky. Well written and informative. Thanks.
Zane on December 06, 2019:
I have a painting of this very same boy and the girl
Tanya on October 09, 2019:
I have a crying boy print in my home, I have had it for years and am fond of the little boys string resemblance to my youngest child.
Maria Wilde on October 05, 2019:
If anyone out there has a crying picture and would like to get rid of it I'll take it
Ann Carney (author) from UK on August 26, 2019:
If it looks like your grandson please keep it. You will be fine I am sure.
Errol Ashley Spaull on August 26, 2019:
Oh Dear /me
Guess what i purchased this painting only a few days ago ..
From our local charity shop. .it looked so sad just like my Grandson
When he's sad ...i have not put it on the wall yet its still in my car..
After reading all the stories. ..
What should I do with it? ???
Gina on August 10, 2019:
when i was growing up almost every one in our estate had a picture off the crying boy and to be honest no one seem to have any good luck with it i am 54 now and i never stop thinking about that picture it did bring bad luck in to peoples homes that was the 1970s and i still feel it was the crying so any one who has his pictures should get rid off hem
Ann Carney (author) from UK on May 20, 2019:
I think if you have had the painting for many years then it is safe to give to your sister.
Gabriella on May 20, 2019:
Hello,
Im going to try to explain this correctly. I just came across this painting that we have had for years. Yet its never been seen. Why? or How you may ask? Because it was pasted behind an entire frame work of Jesus. I took down the painting because i am moving and as i placed it down i realized there is a painting posted to the back of it and the painting is the Crying boy. Now i had the intention of giving it to my sister, but if this painting in cursed then I dont want her to have it. What do u do with it?
Sharon on May 04, 2019:
My parents had this picture on their lounge wall for many years and nothing bad ever happens.
Ann Carney (author) from UK on February 25, 2019:
Hello, my grandma died of old age. She was badly burned in a fire when she was 15 and was always terrified of it. Her dressing gown was trailing in the hearth of the fire when it caught alight. She ran screaming into the street and a coal man doused the flames with a dirty sack. She was badly scarred from the waist downwards and in hospital for a year. She had two more fires that I remember, one was caused by an unattended pan, the second by a faulty electrical switch on a freezer.
Faith biddle on February 24, 2019:
Good article about the crying boy . Did you’re grandma die in one of the fires? And can you post more about it!
Les hobbs on February 20, 2019:
My parents had this painting on their front room wall in the 80's. I hated it as a child as it scared me and use to take it off the wall and hide it in cupboards. It was only when the newspaper ran the story my parents got rid of it.
When I say get rid I later found out dad had removed the frame and the painting was in the shed. Mum always said how weird it was that I went to such lengths to get rid of It!
Tom Parry on February 19, 2019:
Hi Ann,
I'd like to speak to you about this story for a project for the BBC if at all possible - what's the best contact to get you on? I've emailed using the form above but not sure if you have received anything. Could you drop me an email on: tom.parry@onetribetv.co.uk
Thanks,
Tom
Evangeline on February 08, 2019:
This is a real life painting...
a true story...
I'm sorry Jacks...
Kiki on January 28, 2019:
Yeah the painting is cursed for sure. I know someone who has a crying boy and crying girl painting. The things that have happened over the years are devestating. It isn’t fire, just devestating things to the family.
Sylvia. on January 07, 2019:
I have had a painting of the Crying Boy named ALFIE hung up in my house for the past 15 years. I think it's wonderful.
Danny on January 02, 2019:
Wow that is so cool but not cool at the same time.
Ani on November 29, 2018:
We had that painting in our family home, and would often remark about the resemblance with the crying boy and my youngest brother.
Thanks to God, nothing suspicious ever happened to us
Jasmina on November 10, 2018:
We had this painting in our apartment when I was 2 years old. We had a fire and the hole apartment almost brunt down. The only thing that wasnt black off all the smoke was half of the livingroom. The half that the painting was hanging in... We took the fucking painting with us when we moved. And it has been in our home for 26 years. My mother threw it out only a year ago. I saw a post about this on instagram 2 days ago (@scaryposter) and I recognized the painting so I print screened it and I asked my mother about 2 hours ago if it was in the apartment that burned down, and yeah it was fucking there. She also told me that I had always hated the painting and that I have told her plenty of times to throw it out... THIS IS FUCKING INSANE. The thing that creepes me out the most is that my brother (Who was 3 years old at the time) told everyone that it was me who started the fire, it was in the middle of the night and I was only 2 years old?! How the fuck Did I do that? This creeps me out so fucking much.... (sorry for the grammar/misspelled words, Im swedish)
Barbara Speiser on October 18, 2018:
I did a needlepoint of the boy crying and have it hanging on a wall next to the opening of my family room. During super storm Sandy a tree behind the family room fell and instead of hitting the house it went sideways hitting the corner of the house (very little damage)and totally destroying my deck and pool and hitting my neighbors house. It was a straight line from the tree to where the boy crying is hanging. To this day I believe that picture saved us from getting killed and totally destroying our house.
Ann Carney (author) from UK on October 06, 2018:
Succint
colin troth on October 06, 2018:
utter cobblers
jeet bswas on October 02, 2018:
i think its real story...
Rebecca on October 01, 2018:
Your time on Ghost Adventures was very helpful I almost purchasesed this same picture out of sadness.. Glad I seen the show before I did . Keep on writing I love to read your stories
Dush on September 11, 2018:
My Nanna has had this exact painting for the past 30 years +
This can't be real. Really??
Ann Carney (author) from UK on August 30, 2018:
My grandmother did more or less the same thing. I think she felt ‘better safe than sorry’.
Richard higgins on August 29, 2018:
My mum had the crying boy and his sister the fires a real we had 6 fires i rememer my mum goin to a big bon fire when i was a kid in the 80s my mum still talks about it some times but she dont have pics on her wall any more
Ann Carney (author) from UK on July 02, 2018:
I think you are right Glen. As I explained to somebody else, my grandmother lived through three severe fires and also lived on the most heavily bombed road in England during the war. She only owned the painting during the second fire but her attitude was ‘better safe than sorry’ so the painting was sent to the rubbish tip.
Glenn Stok from Long Island, NY on July 02, 2018:
I found this story very interesting. I’m always curious to try to solve unexplained puzzles. After reading your article, I have to assume that the painting was done on a fire retardant canvas.
However, that doesn’t explain how the print of a similar picture survived a kitchen fire — the one you talked about that you had when you were a child. Maybe all those prints were made on fire retardant paper too.
crystal on June 23, 2018:
the crying boy painting didnt burn so it bured round the boy but didnt spread thats odd the only option is to say the painting is possessed by the boy in the painting thats the only solution
Ann Carney (author) from UK on May 15, 2018:
I think that a lot of people are convinced that the painting is bad luck and rather than destroy and risk more, they pass the painting on. My grandmother suffered three big fires in her life. She owned the painting when she had the middle fire and gave it away soon after. But as I said she had three fires and attributed to the other two to her own carelessness.
full moon blossom on May 15, 2018:
I happen to stumble across one of this paintings before. The lady who owned it pressured me into buying it however I refused. I had asked two people why she was trying to get rid of it. They had said she would see children run through her house and bite her is this true or fake.
Ann Carney (author) from UK on May 11, 2018:
The children are very beautiful and appealing. I hope you enjoy your painting. Ann
Slavic on May 10, 2018:
Hi I buy this paint today is gorgeous
Ann Carney (author) from UK on April 08, 2018:
I will be sure to watch. Thanks for commenting.
I'm jaystaitons big paranormal fan he does 3 AM on April 08, 2018:
I have heard of the crying boy but never seen it in real or up in person
But I am watching lots of paranormal things and I am a huge fan of jaystaytion so make sure you watch him on YouTube
Just to say I am new here
Ann Carney (author) from UK on March 27, 2018:
Alexandra please don’t worry. I am sure that your painting is fine. The paintings that people were worried about were on sale in England forty years ago. Lots and lots of copies were made and some people thought they were printed on cheap materials that weren’t fire proof. The newspapers at the time whipped up hysteria to sell copies after a few coincidences. The paintings are on sale all over the world and no other country suffered the same phenomenon as far as I know. Please enjoy your painting. If you are really concerned maybe you could take it down for a while and place it in a safe place until you decide what to do.
Alexandra on March 27, 2018:
Hi, please help me, I have one of those paintings but the boy in it looks older than the photos I found online but it's sign by giovanni.....and I can't find a picture of the painting I have(in which the boy looks older) online or in anywhere and I don't lIve in Englan and my country does not speak in english, maybe the painting was brought here.......please......I'm really scared. i have the painting since I've moved into this house with my family and nothing seems to have happened neither to us or the family here before but they wanted to move really fast. As I said I have no idea how the painting came here since I don't lIve in Englan and the previous owners were not related to England in any kind of way. PLEASE HELP MEEE!!!!!!
cookie girl on March 25, 2018:
this is so scary if i lived alone i would but my grandma in home alone when me and my siblings and grandpa go to school or work and if anything happned to her i would never forgive myself i do like ghosts a anything like that
luna bell on March 23, 2018:
my nan has that exact picture on her wall i told my mum and she said she is gonna take it down
Ann Carney (author) from UK on March 23, 2018:
Thank you for your comment. I am so sorry you have had such horrible experiences. Fire is truly devastating. As you can see from the comments there are diverse views on the subject of these paintings. I don't think I'd be brave enough to tempt fate and have one in the house, no matter how much I loved the painting. Best wishes, Ann
I am sitting in shock on March 22, 2018:
We had a copy of this painting in our living room, and our kitchen on the farm caught fire because of chips cooking in oil that spilled over and yes when I moved to the City years later as a grown up the same thing happened with my in my townhouse. No jokes, no stories.
Ann Carney (author) from UK on March 22, 2018:
Hi Annah, I would suggest emailing a few auctioneers specialising in art and send them photos of your paintings. It would be very exciting if they turned out to be valuable. Good luck and fingers crossed. Ann
annah kontic on March 22, 2018:
wrote an email ref we might have an original of this and forgot to leave my email for contact ..annah1@btinternet.com it is the email ref an italian painter who used to bring his family to lismore every year to stay in castle with duke of devonshire...my nam was a milk maid there and she was given a crying boy and another painting....it does not look like a print but an oil painting and the signiture in top right hand corner looks lkke a w bragolin but hard to make out..it is certainly not a print...the other painting is of a lady in oils we think done by same person but we can't find signiture....they are in old wooden frames..can anybody help
Bob the helper on February 05, 2018:
To be Save or Remove this Curse You have to get a Crying girl to keep him from doing ANY Dangerous Stuff, “Someone said that The little Crying boy would also come out the painting” If you have a Crying boy I consider you get a Crying girl to keep him company!
Elisabeth Gardner on January 21, 2018:
Absolute nonsense to blame a painting or print for a disaster In a house. I owned this painting 20 years ago if not longer and nothing happened ever. People have to much phantasy. If I can buy another one I will.
Ann Carney (author) from UK on December 22, 2017:
That is a lovely thought Sumiya.
Sumiya Ahmed on December 21, 2017:
For this boy I felt sad.. But if he is unlucky.. Then I also Don't want to ran my whole family... If he is still alive I pray he became lucky for everyone.. N he deserves love... God bless him
Ann Carney (author) from UK on November 26, 2017:
This is the problem Wanor, fires happen unfortunately. Common sense tells you the painting can’t be the cause but are you prepared to tempt fate? I would rest easy and enjoy your cards if they turn up, such beautiful children. Best wishes, Ann.
Wanor Sintaro on November 26, 2017:
Hi Ann... I bought this crying boy post card when I was a teenager in the 80s. One of my most favourite post card collections. I don't believe in this superstition but...my parents' house caught on fire ten years ago caused by a short circuit. Now I am wondering whether the crying boy post card was at my parents' house. I think I have lost it.. :-) &*_*& Have a nice Day!
Ann Carney (author) from UK on November 25, 2017:
Thanks for your comment. The whole story is fascinating. Have a good day. Best wishes, Ann.
Shrewsbury lou on November 24, 2017:
We actually had this painting in our condo which traveled with us from from new york. I was told that the boy was crying because if you look at the picture sideways it looks like a face (demon of some sort) can be made from the coat.
We never had any fires but then again When the picture was packed along with other paintings, this one was in front and tape was used to hold them together for easy transport. When the tape was removed, it left a cross imprint across the picture which may be why we never had any issues.
Dilruba Hossain from Dhaka on November 24, 2017:
your right
Ann Carney (author) from UK on November 24, 2017:
Hi Dilruba, many people do believe the curse is real. It certainly became a phenomenon in the united Kingdom during the seventies and eighties. I think opinion is divided. Lots of people would think that the idea of a curse is silly superstition but others are not prepared to take a chance. My grandmother certainly had a fire while owning a copy but then had another severe fire twenty years after destroying the painting.
Dilruba Hossain from Dhaka on November 24, 2017:
its real?
Ann Carney (author) from UK on November 13, 2017:
Hi Jessica, there is certainly a copy of the painting on the uk and the us versions of eBay at the moment, I don’t know where you are based. If you do a search of Giovanni Bragolin print or Giovanni Bragolin ‘The Crying Boy’, a copy of the print should come up, there are hundreds out there. You have a beautiful child by the way. Best wishes.
Jessica Forkey on November 13, 2017:
I am trying to find the crying boy painting. The painting looks alot like my son. Can you please help I seen it on the TV show Ghost Adventures Artifacts with Zak Bagans and fell in love with it my email address is Jessicaforkey82@gmail.com thank you Jessica
Ann Carney (author) from UK on September 22, 2017:
Thanks for your comment Lynn. The children in the paintings are very beautiful. Your son must be very handsome. It is so sad to see them crying. I think you probably did a wise thing. Best wishes, Ann.
Lynn Whiat on September 22, 2017:
I was given a paining of crying boy by a neighbor in Toronto Ontario who thought it was my oldest son, I told her no, she wanted me too have it. I hang it up & over the yrs everyone that came too my house thought it was my son. over 20 years later me& my daughter were watching a show about curses & that photo came up...I was like omg where is that painting, I had put it in basement storage because on one of our moves it had water damage on the bottom. The next day I watch garbage truck take it away. Never wanting it in my house again. We never had a fire all the yrs living in Pickering but came close a few times. I believe someone was looking after us. I just can not believe how much that boy looked like both my sons...very weird
Ann Carney (author) from UK on September 17, 2017:
Oh my goodness Harold, hoping and wishing that things improve for you. A lot of people would scoff. I think better safe than sorry. Stay well. My very best wishes. Ann
harold fessler on September 17, 2017:
Bought a print at a flea market around may 2015.
Sept 1 2015- diagnosed throat cancer. Had surgery, beat it.
Jan thru Dec 2016 3 surgeries skin cancer. Beat it
Aug 2017 auto accident, broken back..
Told my wife sept 2017 to get rid of painting. When we first got the copy of painting I mocked it. The painting is now gone from my home......!!!
Ann Carney (author) from UK on August 31, 2017:
I think you are exactly right.
mc on August 31, 2017:
I think that the painter captured the innocence pureness of a soul that can not be destroyed by evil.
Lynsey1879 on June 25, 2017:
Yer IV heard this story it's quite an old 1 now, apparently where ever this picture would get put or who ever owned it, a fire was 2 always follow & that would b the only thing intact where as everything &every 1 was burnt,
mohamudukash9 on June 20, 2017:
I am really so sorry to see totally a baby crying and I don't like to force the children to cry.
