10 masterpieces whose authenticity is in question

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

In the history of art, there have been many forgeries, which, as a rule, were not difficult to detect. But sometimes even experts cannot come to a consensus about whether this or that work really belongs to the hand of the master, and how exactly to determine the authenticity of works of art. In our review of 10 masterpieces, the authenticity of which is still in doubt today.

1. Frankenstein or modern Prometheus

Mary ShelleyNearly two centuries after its publication, Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein or Modern Prometheus continues to captivate readers. Not only did this novel become iconic in the science fiction and horror genres, it also made Mary one of the few outstanding female novelists. But was Mary Shelley the real author of Frankenstein? Incredible as it sounds, a similar question was asked by John Lauritsen in his book The Man Who Wrote Frankenstein.

Lauritsen claims that the famous novel was actually written by none other than Mary Shelley's husband, the romantic poet Percy Shelley. Although the author provides only superficial and inconclusive evidence, he argues that Shelley, being essentially a teenager with a low level of education at the time of writing the novel, could not have written such a literary work. He also believes that the novel is imbued with the theme of male homosexuality, which, presumably, could interest Percy Shelley more than his wife.

2. Bust of Nefertiti

Ludwig Borchardt"All of a sudden we have an incredibly well-preserved piece of Egyptian art in our hands. It is impossible to describe in words. It must be seen." This is what the archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt wrote in his diary shortly after his team discovered the famous bust of Nefertiti. The bust depicting Akhenaten's wife was indeed a revelation. Thanks to its strikingly vibrant colors and anatomical precision, this work managed to convey the entire aura of grandeur and beauty of Nefertiti.

However, the Swiss art historian Henry Stirlin has put forward the theory that this is all a grandiose hoax. In 1912, Borchardt hired an artist to paint an 11th-century bust he found with pigments from the archaeological archives (thanks to which he was able to pass an examination for authenticity). However, when the Prussian prince Johann George of Saxony saw the bust soon, he mistook it for a real artifact. Prince George was so fascinated by the work that Borchardt never had the courage to tell him the truth. As a result, the bust of Nefertiti is still considered a 3000-year-old artifact, although in fact it is a 100-year-old fake.

3. Flowers

Paolo PorporaIn August 2015, at an exhibition in Taiwan, a boy stumbling accidentally punched a fist-sized hole in the $ 1.5 million painting Flowers by 17th century artist Paolo Porpora. However, the Italian auction house said that the same painting was included in their catalog, and a copy, worth a maximum of $ 30,000, was actually posted in Taiwan, which was painted by artist Mario Nuzzi. But the organizers of the exhibition in Taipei continue to insist that they have the original "Flowers", which was damaged.

4. Beautiful princess

Leonardo da VinciThe portrait known as La Bella Principessa (Princess Beautiful) was sold at auction in 1998. Although it was originally thought to be the work of a 19th century German artist, some experts considered the painting to be much older. The new owner agreed to give the painting for an extended examination, the result of which shocked the art world. The author of La Bella Principessa was none other than Leonardo da Vinci.

Nevertheless, a number of skeptics continue to argue that the picture clearly did not come out of the brush of the great master, noting several suspicious details. For example, the painting was painted on parchment, which Leonardo never used. In addition, in November 2015, convicted forger artist Sean Greenhalsh stated that he painted this painting in 1978 using artificially aged paint.

5. Ariel

Sylvia PlathIn 1963, Sylvia Plath was a 31-year-old poet with a rather modest reputation. After divorcing her husband, she moved to London, where she died unexpectedly from carbon monoxide poisoning. After his death, the collection "Ariel" was published, which included previously unpublished poems of Plath. Today "Ariel" is considered one of the most famous poetry collections of the 20th century. However, many Plath fans insist that "Ariel" is not the poet's original work at all. They argue that after Plath's death, her ex-husband Hughes rewrote a number of the poetess's works before publication, the drafts of which were preserved in his home.

6. Teri Horton

Jackson PollockTeri Horton, 73, a former truck driver, bought the abstract painting for $ 5 from a local thrift store. Initially, she wanted to give the painting to her friend, but when it turned out that the canvas was too large for his trailer, she decided to hang it in her garage. It was there that the picture was seen by an acquaintance of Horton, a teacher of art history, who noted the striking similarity of the picture with the works of Jackson Pollock. The painting was submitted for examination, where its authenticity was established. The work is now estimated at $ 50 million.

7. To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee and CapoteLiterary legend Truman Capote and Harper Lee became friends as children in Monroeville, Alabama. As they matured, they drifted apart, given their radical divergence in temperament. Capote was a flamboyant person who loved the crowd, partying and the rhythm of the big city, while Lee was a shy, reclusive stay-at-home. But some critics have argued that Lee and Capote continued their collaboration and that the famous novel To Kill a Mockingbird was actually written by Capote, not Harper Lee. The rumor was apparently started by the editor of Pearl Bell newspaper, who claimed that Capote once confessed the secret to her.

8. Madonna of the Carnations

RaphaelFor generations, apprentices of artists have honed their skills, imitating the works of masters. In an era when photographs were not available, these copies were highly prized and fairly widespread. For many decades, it was believed that the painting, which is in the collection of the Duke of Northumberland, is a copy of Raphael's famous lost painting "Madonna of the Carnations". However, in 1991, the curator of the gallery Nicholas Penny gave the painting for detailed research, according to the results of which he declared that it was the original. Such conclusions are still disputed by a number of critics today.

9. Bruno B or Red Self-portrait

Andy WarholeThe painting known as "Bruno B" is a portrait by Andy Warhol, which is part of a series of ten identical silk-screen prints under the general title "Red Self-Portrait". Warhol himself signed and dedicated the painting to his friend, art dealer Bruno Bischofberger (hence the name "Bruno B"). Despite such impressive evidence of authenticity, "Bruno B" was not recognized as an original work by Andy Warhol, with the verdict issued by the Andy Warhol Authentication Commission.

10. Polish horseman

RembrandtIn 1639, the Dutch painter Rembrandt purchased a huge house in a prestigious area of Amsterdam. Although he was already famous all over the world by that time, the house turned out to be larger than he could afford. In 1656, Rembrandt went bankrupt and moved to the outskirts of the city, where he took up teaching students. This led to the fact that modern scientists often find it difficult to determine which of the works belongs to Rembrandt, and which to his talented students.

In order to remedy this situation, the "Rembrandt Research Project" was launched in 1968. According to the Wall Street Journal, the number of "genuine" Rembrandt paintings has dropped from over 700 in the 1920s to 300 in the 1980s. As for the "Polish Horseman", it was recognized as the original, but a number of scholars still dispute this opinion, claiming that the painting was only signed by Rembrandt himself.