Are these paintings factory/starving artist originals?

I keep seeing this image posted on ebay and other sites by different dealers in different frames, with slight color variations, including Walmart. Every single listing claims it is an original oil painting or an original water color with the exception of Walmart. I'm just curious if the resellers are clueless, dishonest or, are some of these really originals painted in the starving artist type factories where they knock these out like an assembly line?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-19t...84550578?pt=Art_Paintings&hash=item566c52c2b2

 

Hmm. Looks like the "buyer" of this one (assuming there really was one) never left feedback, so it's tough to say whether the very specific "oil on stretched canvas" description was true or not. We've all seen listings and potential listings for various media mistaken for paintings by the novice - especially if the item has never been removed from the frame. But it's hard to call this one "clueless" with wording such as s/he has used.

 

There are websites even now through which one can order a painting that copies an older painting... perhaps some of these are from one of those sites. Here's an example: http://www.oilpaintingsgallery.com/

I can't say about the one that is linked above... the person does say it's a copy of another painting, but seems to think that even the copy is a century old. And it might be... But if you are seeing a lot of this particular painting out there, maybe there are also prints.

 

Here's the original:

http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/435708

The others are likely prints on canvas. Maybe giclees.

 

Thank you for all the replies and links. Fig, I think you hit the nail on the head. I found this one that can be ordered as a painting or a print on canvas. I thought it was strange that the same image kept appearing on so many sites as "original". Over the past month, I think I saw it on 4 or 5 websites and even one on Craig's List.

http://www.topofart.com/artists/Leon-Bonnat/art-reproduction/16498/Roman-Girl-at-a-Fountain.php

Bob, I probably saw this at the Met years ago. Maybe that's why it felt a little like deja vu.


This site has video of the actual paintings being reproduced.

http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/?gclid=CJfc---I1sICFQET7AodhzcANg

 

I have seen an ink jet printer put a faint copy of some famous painting on canvas, which the "artist" then uses as a guide; it makes scaling a work child's play.

 

Mill Cove Treasures, thanks for the links. I'm watching the video in the second link right now. I love the part about how they can "insert your face into a famous painting." That would be fun... At least nobody would ever mistake it for the real thing!