Newsflash: Although you may have read that The Anguished Man, supposedly one of the world’s most haunted paintings, is for sale, apparently that’s not the case. Unfortunately, you’ll have to spend your nickels and dimes on another piece of possessed artwork.

According to a recent article over at Mental Floss, The Anguished Man is among the handful of haunted items you could find at one point on eBay. And while the website stated that you could own the artwork for £1,500, you can’t bring the freaky object into your very own home.

Here’s what Sean Robinson said to Dread Central in a recent email:

Unfortunately and to disappoint all the collectors of haunted items and all the horror fans looking for the best Christmas present ever, we have to let you down by telling you that the painting is locked away in a secure place and it is not for sale.

“The Anguished Man” painting was given to me by my Grandmother. The artist of the painting is unknown, but we do know that the artist mixed his own blood into the paint and committed suicide not long after the painting was finished, says the owner of the painting, Mr. Sean Robinson. – All other paintings appearing for sale online which claim to be “The Anguished Man” are frauds and no one should buy those. I can guarantee you that the original haunted painting is locked away in a secure location, and I have no intentions of selling it. That could be dangerous, and it would not be wise for anyone to lay their hands on the painting ’cause it is really active and really strange things happen for people who are in the same room, or even in the same house with the painting, Robinson says.

Several paranormal TV series’ and investigation teams have studied the mysterious painting and it has been mentioned as one of the Top5 haunted items in the world, alongside the “Dybbuk box,” “Annabelle Doll,” “Robert the Doll” (the original Chucky doll), and “Chair of Death.”

So that’s the end of the story… or is it? The email we received claims Robinson is represented by the people at La Brea Pictures, a company that specializes in the development of motion pictures, music promos, and television shows. Is this a setup for some kind of movie?

There’s also the case of the Anguished Man creepypasta that lays out the details surrounding the mysterious painting. Here’s the burning question: Is the eBay listing, the odd email, and the creepypasta the beginning of a Blair Witch Project-style viral campaign? It’s anyone’s guess at this point, but I’m guessing this isn’t the last time you’ll hear about this “haunted” painting.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRQSWgYNqvI&w=640&h=360]