New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-07
COUNTERFEIT PAINTINGS.
THEIR WHOLESALE MANUFACTURE NEAR
FONTAINEBLEAC-HOW THE FRAUD
WAS DISCOVERED.

Paris, Aug o5.-An unexpected support has Just
been furnished to American advocates OF the suppress
sion Of the duty Of 30 per cent foreign paintings ana
works Of art imported in the United States one OF tr
arguments to the effect that this duty mace
the importation dcarcr Americans would purchase only
paintings Of renowned artists and consequently tha'
there would be o stronger Indictment To selling thrin
counterfeits skfuy gotten up. NOBODY ca'cu 10 o"!
commonrate paintings when 1t cost no more AZ least
g to custom house duties. to import frState WORKS
Of art The artists Of the two worlds easily under
stood that and this is why they applauded 30 warmly
tho announcement made BY the United states
Minister on the opening Of the American ArtiN's
Cerclo in Paris that the House OF REPRESENTATIVES,
ct Washington had abolished the duty cl ~ Pc'
cent. They hope at present that the recent W.
c0vzry Of the stupendous frauds pcpetratcd by some
low artists without any scrupes may persuade ''c
American Senate to maintain the aooii'ioh oe'ro""
BY the House. ,
The counterfeiters were discovered through TIC
exertons of the sister of the famous painter Gourmet
who died . few years ago. His paintings however
were not the only ones upon which couh'erie'ciS Ia
ercisod their nefariOus practices ana "hoie i'' "
landscapes, portraits, virgins and h'stor'''i s'V
were found offered for sale at Brussels, the great
emporium for that kind Of spurious WORKS oi a'''
In tho month OF July, says lie Temps Oh ih',' '"'
catalogue of large sale Of paintings 70 lie heiu d.
Brussels was sent to all papers al the ointment.
Courbet's sister," by her brother. lie had maze
indeed, three four portraits OF her, but in DIST
and she could not remember OF having ever
being painted standing "by him. She went to BruS
sels accompanied by her cousin. NJ Eugene Gourmet
treasurer for the city OF Paris They saw that inc
portrait was that of some woman. but not at all OF
Miss Courbct, and they caused rcctiication 10 bc
made on the catalogue.
In the course of their Investigations 1t was learned
that o Brussels dealer also the owner OF store III
Paris possessed whole lot Of alleged paintings by t'c
great masters, TrOyOn Corot. Courbet, etc Inc
dealer ordered them be painted by some artists the
principal Of whom lived Marlote. the celebrated
village in midst of the Fonaineblcau forest the
shershed gathering place of so many foreign AMI fnc
artists and not far from the place inhabited by Miiet'
the painter Of "The Angelus." Those countclietins
painters had each his speciality. but two Of them
worked especially on limitations Of Courbet. one "i
them had been the pupil and the friend OF the great
artist and he perfectly initiated his style that one
of his cOunterfeits admitted at the latest salon III
Paris. The other was. however the principal painter
of tho pictures offered for sale by the Brussels dealer
The tier, in order to give to the initiated paintings
better appearance Of the genuine. which we're known
TO date some wears ago, cooked COnrbet'> counter
fets in a campaign Of peculiar arrangement ana
thus they looked have the they would have hal
II oenulne. These 'ractices facilitated the sale OF
those spurious works art but now the neiar0h>
trade OF the Brussels dea. at an end, FOR he has
\een compelled to close his sl.