The Art of Forgery – Art Forgers Who Duped The World

Have you ever wondered what makes art really original and unique? Is it the hand that made it or the innate qualities of the work itself?

If a fake Van Gogh appears as beautifully vibrant as an authentic one, enough that not even an experienced eye can tell the difference, why does the art world revolve around the concept of authenticity to such a large extent?

The fact is, every artwork is an unparalleled expression of an individual creative talent and a result of a precise personal, historical and cultural context. Art forgeries, even if aesthetically pleasant or technically stunning, can cause serious misinterpretations with extremely damaging consequences, first of all in the academic field, as well as disruptions to the art market.

But what actually is an art fake? In general, when an artwork is said to be a fake, it is presented as by one artist, despite actually being created by another – and this is not necessarily a crime, as we shall see. Legally speaking, only written documents can be forged so, for example, we could have a fake painting with a forged statement of authenticity. Nevertheless, this technicality does not apply to the everyday and the terms “art fake” and “art forgery” can be used interchangeably.

But there is more, psychological studies have revealed that authenticity also affects the way we look at artworks at a neurological level. Actually, the viewer’s reaction not only changes when he looks at an authentic artwork but also when he observes one that he has been informed is not; basically, our perception is different when an authority figure tells us what we are looking at, a “real” or a “fake”.

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