John Wayne Gacy's eerie self-portrait ‘Patches the Clown’ up for sale for $8K
A terrifying self-portrait titled 'Patches the Clown' created by American serial killer and sex offender John Wayne Gacy, who allegedly assaulted and killed at least 33 young men and boys at his home in Illinois, US, between 1972 and 1978, is up for sale for $8,000 (£7,100) and can be purchased on Cult Collectibles, Mirror reports.
The artwork, which looks like a self-portrait of a clown, has a menacing undertone and bears the killer's signature, as Gacy also appeared as a clown when he was actively killing people. He frequently appeared as 'Pogo the Clown' or 'Patches the Clown,' personas he created, at children's hospitals and philanthropic events.
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The picture depicts a sad-looking clown holding balloons in brilliant, strong colors, with a forest of trees in the background. Additionally, the item shows the back of the painting, which includes the name of the canvas that was used and a title that was allegedly scribbled by the murderous clown. There is a signature in the bottom left corner that reads 'JW Gacy.' while 'Patches the Clown. John W Gacy. Oil 781-93,' is written on the back of the painting. The item states, "Patches the Clown as painted by serial killer John Wayne Gacy," next to the painting's cost. "Please note that the back of the painting is upside down (the signature and text is flipped when held upright.)"
John Wayne Gacy, one of America's deadliest serial killers, escaped the law while raping, torturing, and murdering at least 33 teenagers and young men in Cook County, Illinois, between 1972 and 1978 because he hid under countless masks. And one of those masks was that of a clown. In the 1970s, Gacy was a member of a "Jolly Joker" club in Chicago and frequently appeared in a clown costume at children's parties, charity events, and other functions. He even designed his own clown mask and makeup, which later became his alter ego "Pogo" or "Patches" His makeup was unique in that it was a white mask with pointed blue eyes and a huge, scary-looking red mouth. Although Gacy was most often described as a "compassionate" clown, he admitted that at certain times he would become a "hate clown" and then his evil nature would slip into his clown persona. His home on the outskirts of Norwood Park, Chicago, was filled with paintings and portraits of clowns. When he lured his victims to his house, he usually used a magic trick to immobilize them.
The notorious cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer's urn, which allegedly previously held his ashes, was recently listed for sale on a dark website for $250,000 (£222,000), making headlines. The urn is still available, possibly because of the exorbitant asking price, but real crime enthusiasts can still acquire other gory items for less money, including Gacy's painting.
Gacy received a death sentence and was put to death on May 10, 1994. The infamous killer clown also made a cameo in 'Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story's final episode. Shortly before he was sentenced to death, Gacy's final attorney, Karen Conti, described him as the kind of monster who could "rape and kill a person then eat a ham sandwich with the body."