Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-10-16
PICTURE FORGING.
,m,rATlNe THE "oLp MASTERS"
DONE RIGHT IN NEW YORK.

Making spurious Paintings ana Signing
r,..m with the Names OF Famous
..,..an Art In Itself--How 1t IL
Done.
opid Won know that picture forging on
-,..,,d scale was being done right here In New
TorL y, asked n well known connoiseur OF q
reporter recently.
Tho renorter did not know it and asked for
the particulars concerning such an enterprise.
ait Ia n shameful TRUTH" continued the
wr;ter,s informant, "that there are at least
half dozen artists in this city unknown 70
the nublic as such, who are constantly en-
Gagged IN making spurious paintings ana sigh
inc such work with the names OF famous ART
;stS The men who make these bogus pict-
ures are all young-as artists go-talented,
aud without an exception have received the
hest training afforded by the foreign schools.
II ia within their means to make Tor them
selves enviabe regulations, but their love for
reodv money is greater than their ambition.
They have long and carefully studied the
works of those noted painters whose pictures
thew initiate, and for which there is a con-
stand and ever-increasing demand. They
prsiuce a finished painting on an average OF
one n month. They initiate the work OF such
painters as Rousseau, Dupre, Daubigny,
Millet, and Corot, putting on their canvases
every idiosyncrasy OF these masters ham
ding, copying the mannerisms and using the
same combination of colors, all OF which
thew have reduced to fine state OF perfec-
ton. They know the favorite subjects OF
the great painters, and make only such pict-
ures as are popular and get big prices.
AN ART IN ITSELF.
"The forging of an artists signature is an
art in itself. The American picture market
is flooded with these spurious paintings by
artistic counterfeiters. The latter often re-
ceive large sums for their most clever imita
tiops. which are sold to INSCRIPTIONS dealers
who in turn sell them to wealthy but mex
perienced amateurs, who believe they arr
purchasing the original work of the master
whose name occupies q conspicuous corner OF
the canvas. If by any chance, however. the
amateur finds that he has been swindled hi
will tell no one, as such revelation would
reflect discreditably upon his knowledge ane
good judgment as collector.
s'Picture forging is rampant in Europe, ant
tons of bogus old masters-and not few
forgeries of modern ones-are annually
turned out and quickly bought up by par
: venu collectors. Such despicabe business il
comparatively new in this country. know
of one picture forger who devotes himself ex
clusvely to painting landscapes in the man
ner Of Corot He has a stereotyped subject;
, river shore view, with single tree, a whit
cottage clearly reflected in the water, an,
sky of scurrying clouds. This man is con
tinually grinding out such a picture, seldom
varying the subject, and SO dexterously imi
. tating the unique brush work of the grea
Frenchman that none but an expert or specia
student of Corot's work can detect the differ
5 ence between a genuine painting by tn
I latter, of similar subject, and a fraudulen
4 picture by this clever counterfeter. 18th
e latter lives in the greatest style, surrounds
g by every luxury that money can procure
Y He has host of friends who suppose him t
8 be retired broker, and entertains them RICH
8 royalty. He has his studio on the top foo
a of his palatial residence, and there surrept
y tiously paints his bogus Corot landscapes
: He receives enormous sums for his work, b.,
q is an extremely unhappy man, living as b
6 does in constant fear of exposure and arresi
!, He is, however, more fortunate than hi
y brother counterfeiters, who are for the mos
y part under the thumb Of dealer, and bein
, a degree less clever and audacious are barrel
ID able To exc out comfortable living by til
: means Of their pictorial frauds Iii highl
y unsatisfactory occupation, to say nothing {
l. its baseness and consequent dangers. Ne
g York Evening Sum-