In 1980s Britain, a series of haunting portraits featuring a tearful little boy were discovered untouched amidst the ashes of devastating house and business fires. While rumors of the subject and the artist’s backstory became fodder for the tabloids, there’s been no good explanation for why this particular image has managed to survive so many devastating fires… Unless it caused them…
The Crying Boy Portrait popularly seen in U.K. homes. Courtesy: Mamamia.com.au
The Sun Article featuring The Crying Boy published on September 4th 1985. Courtesy: Famagusta News
The Sun bonfire 1985. Courtesy: Famagusta News
Bruno Amadio and painting from The Crying Boy series. Courtesy: Culturacolectiva.com
Episode Source Material
- Atlas Obscura (website): A painting of a crying boy was blamed for a series of fires in the ‘80s by Natalie Zarrelli.
- Punt PI (podcast). (Series 3 Episode 4). Steve Punt via BBC.
- Dr. David Clarke Folklore and Journalism: The curse of the crying boy, by David Clarke.
- Hubpages.com: The curse of ‘The Crying Boy’ painting, by Ann Carney. (website)
- Gallerix.org: Bruno Amadio “The Crying Boy”. (website)
- Higgypop Paranormal News, Ghost Hunting and Eerie Entertainment: The curse of the crying boy painting – the parapod series2, episode 2 review. (website)
- Hubpages.com: The 1980s curse of the crying boy painting, by Michael Murchie.
- Famagusta News: The creepy story of the painting with “the crying boy”. (website)
- Cultura Colectiva: Bruno Amadio: The mystery of the “crying boys” cursed paintings (website), by Isabel Carrasco.
- Mamamia: I was given a haunted painting. Then the strange activity began (website), by Marta Jary.