Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-06-27

expert has no desire to advertise
the fact that he has been taken i'll
by a clever fraud, even If he dis
covers his mistake. An experts pride
has undoubtedly kept many an init
alton work of art in an honored
place and saved an art faker from
exposure.
The i~ntricacies of the gentle art
of taking are described by Ricardo
Nobili in his recent book on that
subject. This expert explains some
of the inner workings of the Italian
export office. The Italian Govern
ment is anxious to stop the expor-
tation of valuable old art works,
and, consequently, dealing with the
inspectors and tricking them have
become serious problems for the fake
art business.
Signor Nobili says that the export
officials do mot regard themselves
as obligated to prevent sham mas
terpieces from leaving Italy. Thus,
a supposed Botticelli, perfectly
wrought to all appearances, is
brought in to be passed for export.
The government would never permit
this work to leave the country If it
were genuine. The dealers know
that. Accordingly, the dealer may
bring with his painting a photo
graph showing that the picture was
originally a mediocre work and that
it is only skillful retouching that has
given it the well known Botticelli
characteristics This photograph is
held by the export inspectors, and if
some foreign country begins to eXult
in a Botticelli just brought from
Italy the inspectors are able to prove
10 their government that they have
not allowed themselves to be duped.
Occasionally, however, art dealers
do try to dupe the inspectors, and
with success. A genuinely fine paint
ing that is not too famous may be
turned into a piece of poor work
by altering the drawing and propo
ton, and discoloring the beautifully
painted face or draperies. These
alterations are so made that they
can be later removed. The picture
goes to the export Office and is read
lily permitted to leave the country.
Italy is well rid of such daubi The
dealyer ships the daub to America
or some other good market, removes
the disguise and drives a shrewd
bargain.
individuals who engage in trickery
have always gone to endless trouble
and have put deep study into their
methods, while collectors have de-
pended mainly on their experience
and intuition to frauds. OF
late, methods of exposing takers
have begun to attract scientific eff
fort. X-Rays have been used sue
cessfully to show up retouching.
Analysis of pigments by a famous
chemist has proceeded to a point
where he can identify the paint on
famous pictures. In certain eras
certain pigments were known, and
others were not yet compounded or
had already been discarded. So the
modern copyist who buys the best
materials at the nearest art store
may be betrayed by his paint.
Thumb prints of Leonardo da Vim
ci and other famous painters have
been found on the pictures where
they touched the paint to model it
a bit, and Identification of finger
prints on a painting is now regarded
as supplementary proof of it's
lneness. The brush strokes of no
ted artists have also been maenifed
and studied, so that the style of Law
ing on paint Is still further indie
alton of authorship.
All these scientific studies are
helping collectors to fight the takers
hIrf "a yf,1, lin