Searching For The Artist Known As "T. Denver"

On two recent morning walks to Mozza to pick up a car left overnight, Nancy and I passed a closed antique store which prominently displayed a colorful, modern oil painting of a table laden with glasses, papers, and wine bottles. Our kind of table.  Nancy was smitten. 

Tuesday afternoon, I went there alone and - after unsuccessfully attempting to Armenian the owner down - bought the painting. I took it home, put it on the living room floor, propped up against a chair. Even set there, it looked good. (Check below) 

Nancy came home early and was thrilled to see it. She has an eclectic collection of modern art, but nothing, in my artful opinion, to compare. She tried to see who signed this fine work. I got out the flashlight and the magnifying glass. The best she could do was "T. Dznv" followed by a scribble.  Nothing on the web. I took a turning with the magnifying glass. Maybe that "Z" was an "E", I told her. 

"Could it be T. Denver?", she asked.

Yeah, it could. It was. We looked more on the net and found an identical signature on a painting.  But, not much more. He - or she -  was ( hopefully still is )  a 20th century European, had a painting sold at a 2004 Christie's auction and has a painting hanging at one of the Oxford University hospitals in England.. I emailed them, but got an out of office 'til April 19th reply. A webster said T. Denver might be a name for Itzchak Tarkay, an Israeli artist born in Serbia.  Another theory was that "T. Denver" was a joint effort by several painters designed to mean "starving artist".  

So a public plea. Anyone know anything about this "T Denver"?  Best answer gets four pizzas from Mozza.  T. Denver Pizza Contest expires May 5.  Ideally, the actual T. Denver checks in.

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