Forgery is a provocative presence in the art world that captures attention in the press and inspires books about the exploits of famous fraudsters as well as scholarly articles and monographs. But missing until now has been a big-picture look at the phenomenon of art forgery. The Many Faces of Art Forgery provides a unique treatment that features historical highlights, philosophical insights, psychological profiles, economic theories, and legal statutes and cases. Key features woven into the author's presentation include: The story of art forgery from antiquity to the present, including 80 named forgers, the tricks of their trade, and the social forces that ensure the existence of their enterprise. How scientific analysis is both effective and limited in exposing art fakes. Multiple definitions for the term "forgery" as applied to art. The effect on authenticity in legal terms, philosophical terms, and public opinion when an artwork undergoes extensive restoration, or artists hire surrogates to make their works, or they appropriate images from other artists or styles from indigenous cultures. Forgers' mentalities: their motivations, rationalizations, and strategies. The ethics of art forgery: from criminality to esteem for fooling experts. The possibility and aesthetic worth of a "perfect fake." In all, readers will understand the substantial place forgery occupies in the realm of art, as well as that what constitutes authentic versus inauthentic is not always clear-cut, nor are legal and moral judgments about forgery. In conveying this message, the author provides a wealth of scholarly content and interesting anecdotes in an accessible and engaging style suitable for experts and general readers alike.
William Casement is a philosopher, writer, and former art dealer and gallery owner. He holds a PhD in philosophy from Georgetown University and left a successful career as a professor to join the art business world. His writings span several fields including art, where his various articles on forgery range from scholarly expositions to an account of his personal experiences as a dealer.
Acknowledgments Introduction I: The Presence of Art Forgery Before the Renaissance Renaissance through 17th Century 18th and 19th Centuries Into the 20th Century Forgery's Reach Celebrity Forgers From the Less Notorious to the Virtually Unknown Confronting Art Forgery II: What is a Forgery? What is Authentic? Semantic Variations Intention Restoration Collaboration Appropriation Posthumous Production Cultural Appropriation III: A Face-Off of Value The Mind of the Forger Criminality Mitigated Culpability and Alternative Economics The Perfect Fake IV: Reflections on the Big Picture Notes Index
Based on deep scholarship across a remarkably broad field, yet written with a light touch...a notably excellent book of importance and potentially wide interest.--Lawrence Nees, professor of art history and H. Fletcher Brown Chair of Humanities, University of Delaware Provides a truly panoptic yet readable insight into the multi-faceted 'discipline' of art forgery, through the eyes, and with the anecdotal colour, of a seasoned and experienced art professional.--Claude Piening, senior international specialist, 19th Century European Paintings, Sotheby's Takes the reader on a provocative and highly informative trek through the world of art fraud, profiling cases and bad actors and controversial perspectives on authenticity.--Robert K. Wittman, retired FBI special agent, founder and former senior investigator, FBI National Art Crime Team, and author of the New York Times Best Seller Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's Stolen Treasures This is an extremely well researched and structured book that does not overlook a single relevant issue in the area of art fraud while presenting the topic in a very accessible way.--Saskia Hufnagel, reader in criminal law, Queen Mary University, London, editor/author The Palgrave Handbook on Art Crime
