Art forgery and forgers: their role among the ages and how to detect them by scientific examinations.

Abstract

This dissertation traces the evolution of forgery in European art history from ancient Rome to the 20th century, and it examines the techniques used by forgers to deceive the art world and the development of forensic science in the detection of forgeries. Over the centuries the art market has been flooded with copies, fakes, forgeries, imitations and reproductions, and the research conducted has also the purpose to explain the differences between those terms. The dissertation attempts to focus on some of the main players working in the art world who have been involved in authenticity issues and forgery scandals, and it examines in detail the stories, but most of all the techniques and methods used by some of the most famous forgers who during the 20th and 21st century had successfully deceived the art world. Art forgery pertains only to certain kinds of objects, including paintings, sculptures, archaeological artefacts, manuscripts etc., but this research aims to focus its analysis mainly on forgery in painting. While explaining all the elements which compose a painting, this essay also discusses the techniques adopted by forgers to reproduce painting styles or to artificially recreate the passage of time on the layers of a painting. But the focal point of this essay is the analysis and investigation of the various scientific techniques that can be applied in the detection of forgeries and how the use of forensic science in the art field can play a crucial role in helping to reveal forgers’ works. Moreover, this research outlines how scientific examination combined with the knowledge of art experts can be a winning strategy in solving authenticity issues and in the fight against art forgery.