New-York tribune., 1909-06-27
FERTILE ARE
THE ART FAKERS
FORGE EQU4LLY WITH
PEN AND BRUSH.
Produce Old or Modern Master, Ac-
cording TO Market THEIR Craft
an 4ncient One.

while the taking Of works of art has been
brought 70 a high perfection by the methods OF
modern science. the industry probably began many
thousands of years ago. when some cave
c7pied + rock sketch Of a mammoth and signed IL
With initials II is sad fact that scarabs
wrapped up with Egyptian mummies centuries be
fore the Christian often counterfeits
produced for the foreign markets by unprincipled
court-ymer of Plato The period OF the Renais-
sqnce Was fertile limitations Michael Angelo
himself began his career by burying in the earth
2 statue which he carved and thus turned it into
valued antique. Andrea del Sarto copied Ra-
phaeIs portrait Of Leo Y. and it is stil ques-
tion whether the picture al Naples is the orig
iral or The copy The younger David Teniers made
# his business to supply the world with multiplied
Tilians. and another able counterfeiter kept the
memory Of Jan Huysum green generation
after the artists death. The wise collector reckons
not only with modern frauds. but with the decep-
tioas # the old masters and the ancients.
Il takes art 10 conceal fake art There is prob
1eT Of production and Of distribution. A favorite
method distribution TO place pictures with
W. nurse" says Helen Zimmern. in The Ma
fi5-al Review A picture dark with smoke and
dus: Is hung in some peasants house in a remote
district The dealer informs his prey Of a great
discovery and taxes him the The
Instructed peasant vows that the picture IS an
heirloom: il has always hung in the same place
from the time Of mis- fathers father, and he
hardly he induced 10 sell it Finally he names a
large dgure tie price. A bargain whispers the
dealer and after little dickering the customer is
or and the dealer and his rural collaboration
most p-oftably in. When genuine old pictures
found IN peasants houses they generally in
5gre3 owing primitive Ceanngs with onions.
which taxes of tn varnish and Of the colors
But these wrecks are eagerly sought by dealers
The basis for restoratiCns sold genuine antiques
An expert who works cor s. . day turn out
tasty ole masters calculated 10 deceive the most
cultured inhabitants Of Pittsburg.
Tie Italians have peculiar sympathetic fac
af-
ancestors Siena the panels for quaint old pict-
ures with gold backgrounds may be seen openly
6-yinE before the shop doors The panels suit
ably worn-eaten and chemically aged Sometimes
an ingenious patchwork Of the Ciiottesque period is
made Of number Of old but ruined pictures, and
So cleverly the fragments combined that pur-
chasers are advised TO select simple compositions
with few figures 70 avoid this particular hoax.
BOGUS MARKS OF AGE.
L used 10 he considered infallible test OF old
pictures 10 rub the surface with alcohol, which
causes the varnish and colors Of paintings to
run But the art forgers have imported from
Mexico the juice Of cactus. used by the natives
5 a weather preservative for their huts. which,
being spread a painting, protects II from the
attacks Of chemicals. The OF looking the
hack Of a panel or canvas is met by the
fuI Saker who attaches by means Of a special
paste his copy pastiche to the canvas or panel
Of some genuine but worthless old painting The
hybrid product is baked in 10 harden the
Wood ashes and smoke also impart age. while
that warm golden tint that is the collectors joy
Is gained by rubbing the canvas with lquorice
Juice. Authentic dyspecks produced with
beautiful simplicity. The operator stands few
1eet from the canvas and with fine brush dipped
81 Z mixture Of gum and China ink o sepia fcks
enough f7y marks upon the painting TO make it
Jock as # Il had reposed on the walls OF Amer
1can farm kitchen for several centuries II these
artificial certificates OF age accidentally TOO
numerous some Of them can be removed before the
liquid has
When copyist finds himself IN technical hole
rarely happens among these skilled gentry. he
tlUrs Ihe painting the difficult spot and apply
.lE q damp cloth. causes growth Of mould, which
R65s 10 the aged appearance Of the work Imi-
rated even are the modified lines found IN the
masters works showing where the artists changed
Their contours The forging Of famed signatures
ole and new, Is a speciality. neat trick is to
place & signature under mouldy spot and let the
happy customer discover II himself when he has
taken the painting home and subjected it TO ANA
1eUr cleaning
Modern artists OF note are unbIushingly counter
feited II their lifetime Sidney Cooper was SO
cften asked TO decide whether work from
his brush that he charged regular fee TO cover
loss - time Diaz vaiuly disavowed the paternity
q picture whose purchaser insisted that the
To-k VAS q genuine Diaz- The Barbizon school
has been especially counJerfeited America is said
l. 5e crowded with false Corots CoUrbets. Troyons
and Rousseaus.