The Many Faces of Art Forgery: From the Dark Side to Shades of Gray

“Forgery is not everywhere in the art world, but the uncomfortable reality is that it can be anywhere,” writes former art dealer Casement (The Great Canon Controversy) in this illuminating survey. Just as beauty is thought to be in the eye of the beholder, Casement argues the concept of authenticity can also be interpreted subjectively and culturally. To that end, he takes a fascinating look at the long history of art forgery, from ancient Roman times—when “exorbitant prices” driven by avid collectors (including Caesar) led artisans to produce numerous copies “fashioned after Greek masters”—up to the present, when an unprecedented number of fakes flood the market (with the art of 17th-century French painter Corot being a favorite target). Casement uses forgery as a lens through which to ask striking questions of greed, acquisitiveness, duplicity, racism, and other aspects of human frailty. When considering Jeff Koons’s pop art, he probes, “What separates appropriation from plagiarism, a close cousin of forgery?” He also cites some of history’s most famous fakers—such as Dutch painter Han van Meegeren (1889–1947) and his imitations of Vermeer—as well as the intriguing stories of multiple skilled fakers who have been active in the last few decades. This serves as a potent reminder that caveat emptor remains in full force today. (Feb.)