Authentication

When it comes to understanding authenticity, listen to the dealers and the market—not the academics

Display of works purportedly by Russian avant-garde artists fails to meet three key criteria

New Vincent van Gogh drawing discovered

Unearthing of Montmartre sketch leads to authentication of second work

Twenty Modiglianis seized by police in Genoa are fake, expert confirms

Works were exhibited at Palazzo Ducale in July when they were confiscated by the authorities

Middle East anti-fake drive triggers refund

Bonhams returns £176,500 for piece attributed to Egyptian sculptor

Tate Modern takes special precautions to make sure its Modiglianis are real in market bedevilled by fakes

New exhibition will look at artist’s early sculpture and include nude from show once shut down for indecency

Long-lost Rodin sculpture turns up in New Jersey town hall

The bust of Napoleon Bonaparte has been authenticated and is due to go on loan to the Philadelphia Museum of Art

PAD Paris loses its vetting committee after opening of 20th anniversary edition this week

The organisation commissioned to examine the works offered at the fair dropped out citing a lack of professionalism and “disrespect” of the experts’ mission

Lawnews

Lawsuit over Cady Noland’s Log Cabin dismissed

But the question remains if the work can still be considered authentic, after the artist allegedly disavowed it

Sotheby’s buys Orion Analytical lab in fight against art fraud

As forgery cases pile up, auction house is also setting up a scientific research department

Mayor Gallery sues over Agnes Martin

Catalogues raisonnés emerge as the latest front in the battle to authenticate works and secure market value

Lawnews

London’s Mayor Gallery files lawsuit against Agnes Martin catalogue raisonné

Authentication committee rejected 13 works owned by gallery clients, effectively rendering them “worthless”, according to court papers

Scholarly debate will be stifled after Knoedler

Abstract Expressionism experts forced to watch what they write and say

Can polar bear hair authenticate contested Pollock painting?

Estate of Jackson Pollock’s mistress builds new case around forensic analysis

Experts question the authenticity of a group of works by Jackson Pollock

Tests suggests pigment used in some of the paintings not commercially available before artist’s death in 1956

Works of art to be tagged with DNA in bid to fight forgeries

Eric Fischl among the artists to support authentication system launched in London this week

Heirs of Brazil’s leading artist at war over estate

The Lygia Clark foundation has temporarily stopped authenticating works by the artist

Lawnews

How to get on with artists, handle mergers and avoid lawsuits

Legal conference tackles issues facing US museums, from commissioning work to developing diversity

Backlash over claim that Egyptian geese were cooked up in 1800s

Museum director and former antiquities minister refute Italian archaeologist’s theory

Newsarchive

Unesco warns of fraud as unsanctioned authentication documents circulate

The warning states that certificates of authentication allowing imports of African cultural heritage are being forged

Newsarchive

‘Lost Raphael’ surfaces in Spain

The University of Granada says it has found an authentic copy of Raphael’s Madonna of Foligno

Modigliani archive ruling against granddaughter

Nechtschein-Modigliani does retain moral rights over the artist's work, however

Lettersarchive

Where are the 35 “fake” Warhols later reassessed as authentic?

Richard Dorment, Chief art critic at The Daily Telegraph, discusses the works

AbEx fakes scandal silences the experts, situation “already as bad as it can get” amid lawsuits

In a time of increased importance on authentication, specialists are holding back in the hope of avoiding the worst.

National Institute of Independent Expertise founded to root out fakes in Russian art market

The organisation, the brainchild of coin collector Vladimir Kazakov and The East European Auction house, aims to ensure that the provenance of a piece has been checked via an unbiased system

Newsarchive

Lawsuit raises questions about Warhol authentication process

Foundation’s sales agent also worked for authentication board; president rejects claim decisions may have been made for financial gain

What now for the £45 Da Vinci: Salvator Mundi is still up for grabs as Dallas fails to buy

Dallas museum could not raise $100m to buy the authenticated Leonardo, until recently believed to be a mediocre copy

Not a Bacon, expert tells court: The debate around Bacon's drawings continues

The chairman of the artist’s catalogue raisonné committee dismisses controversial drawings as “pastiches” in UK bankruptcy hearing

Museumsarchive

Raphaels discovered in Haarlem Teylers Museum

The head curator recently reattributed the works to the artist

Maltaarchive

Polish-born collector Zdzislaw Bieganski to found museum in Malta

Works include Picasso and Van Gogh, but many are yet to be authenticated