Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-25
many ART F0RGER|ES
SPURIOUS ANTIQUITIES FOUND
IN MUSEUMS.
Articles in Which the British Gov
eminent Has Been Swindled.
Experience Of Collectors.

From London Answers
All "antiquities' are not antique. The
art Of the art faker is an art that con-
ceals itself. and often enough 1t is al
most impossible Of detection.
The doubt, for instance. that has been
cast by art experts generally upon the
wax bust attributed to Leonardo ia
Vinci-pronounced Layanardo da Vinchi-
purchased by DIR. Bode for the German
government for $4,000, is by no means
an isolated incident in the history of art
collecting.
bust is the work Of the great and versa
tile Leonardo or Mr.. Cookie Lucas, the
recently deceased wax modeIer, but it Is
an undeniable fact that there is hardly
a public collection that does not contain
several items the authenticity Of which
would not bear investigation.
Worthless Gems.
At the Victoria and Albert Museum,
the Louvre and elsewhere it has more
than once been discovered that treasures
that had been long venerated as unique
are most fragrant forgeries.
Some years ago a parliamentary COM
mission was held upon the contents Of
the museum at South Kensington, and
very early in the evidence 1t transpfred
that the predecessor of the then curator
had removed over fifty objects as either
forgeries or as absolutely worthless, which
had been considered Of great Importance
and value.
For instance theNauthorities purchased
three items at the famous Hamilton Pal
ace sale In 1882. all of which proved to
be other than was supposed. These were
the agate cup, purchased for f5oO. the
Cardinal WOlsey chair, and a Vernis
Martin cabinet. which cost the nation no
less than $500.
The cup proved to be a made-up piece
worth at the most ESQ; the chair. which
was supposed to be English fifteenth CEN
fury work, turned out to be Cingalese
work Of the eighteenth century, and the
cabinet. though partly genuine, was dis
covered to contain panels made by a man
who later, upon obtaining employment at
the museum, readily recognized his fandi-
work.
There is also at South Kensingtona statue
attributed to Michael Angelo which many
claim to be a made-up piece: while a
terra Gotta bust of Savanarola in the
same collection. purchased in the middle
Of last century as a genuine example OF
fifteenth century work. was later discov-
cred to be Of quite modern manufacture.
In the National Gallery there is more
than one work the attrtbution OF which
does not meet with. general acceptance.
In 1904, when the portrait OF Ariosto.
Thy Titan, was acquired for the nation
for the huge sum of 100000, there. were
many who claimed-and, In fact, stiff d
so-that the portrait was not by Titan,
and, moreover. that it was not a portrait
Of the famous Italian poet.
Another remarkable instance OF experts
being hoaxed Is that of the purchase of q
picture reputed to be by the great French
| landscape artist Corot. for the new
Dublin Gallery OF Modern Art, a few
years ago.
The Bath Discovery.
Acting on the advice of the selection
committee. the Prince Of Wales included
this picture among the Ave presented by
his royal highness and the princess to
the gallery. though his advisers knew
that in 1888 certain great French experts
had definitely stated that the work was
very doubtful and that they themselves
would not buy 1t as q COrot l':.s .r..
Later 1t was conclusiveiy proved that
ton lake. in West Hungary, by @. Mes
zoly. a native artist little known outside
his own country. who had painted it by
order c: the Hungarian government for
inclusion in the National Museum at
Buda Pest.
The sensational discovery at the Bath
Picture Gallery that. of the $50 pictures
labeled With the greatest names in the
history OF art, only seventy were genuine
is still fresh in the memories of our read
erS.