A YOUNG art enthusiast is appealing to Ilkley Gazette readers to help her find out more about a mysterious Wharfedale painter.

Daisy Hartley, 20, would like to speak to anyone with information on Herbert Royle, the Nesfield artist who died in 1958.

Miss Hartley, the daughter of an Ilkley auctioneer, has been fascinated by Herbert Royle's oil paintings for years.

Now, as a student of Fine Art Evaluation at Southampton Institute, she has based her final-year dissertation on him but has so far discovered very little.

"I'm pretty stuck," she said. "The reason I wanted to do my dissertation on him is because he hasn't had anything written about him so far. I want to find out about him before any legacies that he did leave with people disappear, but I've not had much luck so far.

"I know he was born near Stockport in 1870 but spent most of his life in Nesfield. He did a lot of painting around Nesfield, Bolton Abbey and a bit in Scotland, too. He did landscapes and painted in a sort of impressionist style but didn't really fit into any particular style."

Miss Hartley said she was particularly interested in speaking to anyone who knew the artist and those who collect his work.

"There's a lot of local people who buy them but also they've gone across to America. The market is growing tremendously for him. I want to find out why."

Anyone who can help Miss Hartley should call her on (07967) 819774.