What wording would you suggest such that the effect that you perceive is not present?

William

Something like this:

William

But you have missed out the preposition "to" before the word "people" so you are treating the word "people" as in the nominative case, whereas the word "to" in the original text puts it in the dative case.

William

No, I’m not treating the word “people” as being in the nominative case, but even if I were the inclusion of the word “to” wouldn’t address the problem here. Saying “to people now dead that the artist retrieved …” doesn’t make it any better.

William

Hmm … I don’t think “people now dead that the artist retrieved from thrift stores, bric a brac shops and undertakers” is quite what the writer meant to say!

Her phrasing is particularly unfortunate, since she goes on to say “so that he could give them a new life”.

Round the corner in Cullum Street we find Bram Ellens’ Orphans. A ‘family’ made entirely of discarded paintings belonging to people now dead that the artist retrieved from thrift stores, bric a brac shops and undertakers so that he could give them a new life ‘containing the energy of the original artist and the attachment of the deceased owner.’

Hmm … I don’t think “people now dead that the artist retrieved from thrift stores, bric a brac shops and undertakers” is quite what the writer meant to say!

William