The Anguished Man

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The Anguished Man
The Anguished Man painting.jpg
Allegedly haunted painting
ArtistUnknown
YearUnknown
MediumOil on canvas, allegedly mixed with the artist’s blood
OwnerSean Robinson
YouTube information
Personal information
Nationality British
Occupation(s)Sean Robinson, owner and promoter of The Anguished Man
Channel
Location United Kingdom
Years active2010–present
Genres
Subscribers19.8 thousand [1]
(August 2025)
Views4,011,815 [1]
(August 2025)

The Anguished Man is a painting by an unknown artist. [2] [3] Owned by British man Sean Robinson from Cumbria, England, claims to have inherited the painting from his grandmother, who told him that the artist who created the painting had mixed his own blood into the paint and died by suicide soon after finishing the work. [2] [3] [4] The painting has been characterized as supposedly haunted or possibly a hoax. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Description

The painting depicts a distorted, eyeless figure with an open mouth that appears to be screaming. [5] The medium is oil on canvas, though details of its creation remain uncertain. [6]

Reported phenomena

Robinson uploaded videos of the painting to his YouTube channel in 2010. [7] Robinson reported hearing crying noises, seeing mists form, and witnessing shadowy figures. He has further stated that the painting would occasionally fall without explanation and to have once seen the "the figure of a man". [3] [8] [9] [10]

Media coverage and skepticism

Skeptics have pointed out that all reported phenomena come exclusively from Robinson and his family, and that no independent investigation has verified the events. [11]

Robinson later uploaded short YouTube clips filmed in his home, which purported to show the painting moving slightly, doors closing, and unexplained sounds. The videos sparked an online debate, with some viewers seeing them as proof of paranormal activity, while others dismissed them as hoaxes involving wires or editing tricks. [12] Common explanations for the phenomena include the use of fishing line, camera manipulation, and the power of suggestion. [13] [14] Many paranormal enthusiasts have studied this painting such as Ian Lawman, John Blackbum. [15]

Cultural impact

In 2015, Robinson announced that La Brea Pictures was developing a film based on the story, with Finnish director Tii Ricks attached to the project. [16] [17] In 2016 rights were acquired to make a film based on the story of the painting. [18] [19] The film, is to be titled ANGUISHED. [20]

In the online art market, supposed copies or forgeries of the painting have appeared on eBay, though Robinson has repeatedly stated that he would never sell the original. [21]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "About The Anguished Man". YouTube.
  2. 1 2 3 Rigney, Todd (7 September 2015). "The Anguished Man, the World's Most Haunted Painting, Is Not for Sale". Dread Central . Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Barkan, Jonathan (12 May 2016). "The Haunted Painting 'The Anguished Man' is Becoming a Movie". Bloody Disgusting . Archived from the original on 8 October 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  4. 1 2 Jones, David Annwn (2018). Gothic Effigy: A Guide to Dark Visibilities. Manchester University Press. ISBN   978-1526101228. Archived from the original on 8 October 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  5. ↑ "A Brushstroke with Death: A Brief History of the Dark Artworks". Splendid Fred Magazine. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  6. ↑ Burton, Poppy (4 November 2023). "The 10 most horrifying artworks in history". faroutmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  7. ↑ "REAL Haunted Painting". YouTube. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  8. ↑ Peterson, Megan Cooley (2017). Haunted Objects Around the World. Capstone Press. p. 19. ISBN   978-1515738596. Archived from the original on 8 October 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  9. ↑ "Man who heard 'haunted' painting 'crying and moaning' explains why he refuses to sell it". LADbible. 23 September 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  10. ↑ Doyle, Annie Walton (6 November 2024). "Man Explains Why He Won't Sell 'World's Most Haunted Object' That 'Cries And Moans'". It's Gone Viral. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  11. ↑ Burton, Poppy (4 November 2023). "The 10 most horrifying artworks in history". faroutmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  12. ↑ Comments, Brian Sherwin on 10/21/2013 3:57:13 AM 15. "The Anguished Man: A paranormal painting?". theartedge.faso.com. Retrieved 25 August 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ "The Anguished Man: A Look into the World's Most Haunted Painting". Horror News | HNN. 4 August 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  14. ↑ Mendoza, Jean (3 August 2021). "The Haunting Story Behind The Painting Of The Anguished Man". Grunge. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  15. ↑ "The Strange Tale of the Anguished Man Haunted Painting". LiveAbout. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  16. ↑ "'The Anguished Man' Movie in Development, Tii Ricks Directing". pressat.co.uk. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  17. ↑ Wells, Mitchell (14 May 2016). "THE ANGUISHED MAN Movie in Development". Horror Society. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  18. ↑ "The Haunted Painting 'The Anguished Man' is Becoming a Movie". Bloody Disgusting!. 12 May 2016. Archived from the original on 8 October 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  19. ↑ "Top 20 Creepiest Cursed Objects Ever | Articles on WatchMojo.com". WatchMojo. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  20. ↑ TheCheezman (9 January 2018). "Catching up with THE ANGUISHED MAN". Vampires. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  21. ↑ "10 Creepy Items That Are Really Expensive". Listverse. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
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