A mysterious artwork has appeared at the hospital closest to Banksy’s childhood home – prompting speculation the elusive artist has stuck again.
The 3ft x 2ft picture of Queen Mary, dressed in mourning and holding a single red rose, was discovered on Tuesday morning.
It was found on the concrete floor inside an old greenhouse previously used by Frenchay Hospital in Bristol which closed its doors earlier this month.
It is believed it was painted over the Bank Holiday weekend and appears to have some of the hallmarks of a Banksy.
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Richard Cottle, media relations manager at North Bristol NHS Trust which owns the Frenchay Hospital site, said it was an exciting find.
He said: “We are not saying it definitely is a Banksy but it is quite a complicated motif for someone to come up with.
“We are seeking authenticity on whether it is or not and if it is a Banksy we want to preserve it. It would be a wonderful thing for Frenchay.”
Banksy has not yet claimed the piece on his website but it is understood the Bristol-born artist grew up near the hospital.
The elusive street artist has also recently been back in the city and left another altruistic artwork at a struggling boys’ club.
He has now given permission to the owner of the club to sell the piece, entitled Mobile Lovers, which could raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for them.
Queen Mary was the wife of King George V and was on the throne when Frenchay first started taking patients in the 1920s.
She visited the hospital in 1943 while living at nearby Badminton House with her cousin Mary Somerset, Duchess of Beaufort, to escape London during World War Two.
Frenchay has been vacated in the past two weeks and all patients and services have been moved to a new #430 million super hospital at nearby Southmead.
