Scientist And The Forger, The: Insights Into The Scientific Detection Of Forgery In Paintings
'The scientific techniques described encompass relevant examples of forgery detection and of authentication. The book deals, to name a few, with the Chagall, the Jackson Pollock and the Beltracchi affairs and discusses the Isleworth Mona Lisa as well as La Bella Principessa both thought to be a Leonardo creation. The authentication, amongst others, of two van Gogh paintings, of Vermeer's St Praxedis, of Leonardo's Lady with an Ermine and of Rembrandt's Old Man with a Beard are also described.'Over the last few decades there has been a disconcerting increase in the number of forged paintings. In retaliation, there has been a rise in the use, efficiency and ability of scientific techniques to detect these forgeries. The scientist has waged war on the forger.The Scientist and the Forger describes the cutting-edge and traditional weapons in this battle, showing how they have been applied to the most notorious cases. The book also provides fresh insights into the psychology of both the viewer and the forger, shedding light on why the discovery that a work of art is a forgery makes us view it so differently and providing a gripping analysis of the myriad motivations behind the most egregious incursions into deception.The book concludes by discussing the pressing problems faced by the art world today, stressing the importance of using appropriate tools for a valid verdict on authenticity. Written in an approachable and amenable style, the book will make fascinating reading for non-specialists, art historians, curators and scientists alike.
1123814512
Scientist And The Forger, The: Insights Into The Scientific Detection Of Forgery In Paintings
'The scientific techniques described encompass relevant examples of forgery detection and of authentication. The book deals, to name a few, with the Chagall, the Jackson Pollock and the Beltracchi affairs and discusses the Isleworth Mona Lisa as well as La Bella Principessa both thought to be a Leonardo creation. The authentication, amongst others, of two van Gogh paintings, of Vermeer's St Praxedis, of Leonardo's Lady with an Ermine and of Rembrandt's Old Man with a Beard are also described.'Over the last few decades there has been a disconcerting increase in the number of forged paintings. In retaliation, there has been a rise in the use, efficiency and ability of scientific techniques to detect these forgeries. The scientist has waged war on the forger.The Scientist and the Forger describes the cutting-edge and traditional weapons in this battle, showing how they have been applied to the most notorious cases. The book also provides fresh insights into the psychology of both the viewer and the forger, shedding light on why the discovery that a work of art is a forgery makes us view it so differently and providing a gripping analysis of the myriad motivations behind the most egregious incursions into deception.The book concludes by discussing the pressing problems faced by the art world today, stressing the importance of using appropriate tools for a valid verdict on authenticity. Written in an approachable and amenable style, the book will make fascinating reading for non-specialists, art historians, curators and scientists alike.
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Scientist And The Forger, The: Insights Into The Scientific Detection Of Forgery In Paintings

Scientist And The Forger, The: Insights Into The Scientific Detection Of Forgery In Paintings

by Jehane Ragai
Scientist And The Forger, The: Insights Into The Scientific Detection Of Forgery In Paintings

Scientist And The Forger, The: Insights Into The Scientific Detection Of Forgery In Paintings

by Jehane Ragai

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Overview

'The scientific techniques described encompass relevant examples of forgery detection and of authentication. The book deals, to name a few, with the Chagall, the Jackson Pollock and the Beltracchi affairs and discusses the Isleworth Mona Lisa as well as La Bella Principessa both thought to be a Leonardo creation. The authentication, amongst others, of two van Gogh paintings, of Vermeer's St Praxedis, of Leonardo's Lady with an Ermine and of Rembrandt's Old Man with a Beard are also described.'Over the last few decades there has been a disconcerting increase in the number of forged paintings. In retaliation, there has been a rise in the use, efficiency and ability of scientific techniques to detect these forgeries. The scientist has waged war on the forger.The Scientist and the Forger describes the cutting-edge and traditional weapons in this battle, showing how they have been applied to the most notorious cases. The book also provides fresh insights into the psychology of both the viewer and the forger, shedding light on why the discovery that a work of art is a forgery makes us view it so differently and providing a gripping analysis of the myriad motivations behind the most egregious incursions into deception.The book concludes by discussing the pressing problems faced by the art world today, stressing the importance of using appropriate tools for a valid verdict on authenticity. Written in an approachable and amenable style, the book will make fascinating reading for non-specialists, art historians, curators and scientists alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781783267408
Publisher: Imperial College Press
Publication date: 09/09/2015
Pages: 284
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.60(d)

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Acknowledgements xiii

Preface xvii

Acronyms xxv

Introduction 1

Scientific tools of the art detective 6

What motivates fraud? Why do we care so much about authenticity? 9

References 9

Chapter 1 Establishing the First Link in the Art Chain: Attribution 13

The curator and gallery dealer 13

The connoisseur and the art historian 19

The Ely Zakhai case - connoisseurship's role in unraveling a Gauguin forgery 19

Stylistic and Morellian analysis 20

The Rembrandt Research Project 23

Rembrandt's Old Man With a Beard authenticated 24

References 25

Chapter 2 Microscopy-Related Techniques 29

Optical microscopy 29

Stereomicroscope and raking light 30

Observation by optical microscopy of the craquelure at the surface of a painting 31

Craquelure and the Han van Meegeren forgery 33

Craquelure and The Virgin and Child with an Angel 36

More on craquelure 36

Cross section analysis 37

The case of the authenticated Rembrandt 39

Polarised light microscopy 40

Polarised light microscopy plays a crucial initial role in the authentication of a Manet painting 42

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) 43

Portrait Group depicting Frederico da Montefletro (Forgery confirmed by SEM/EDX) 45

Raman spectroscopy and microscopy 47

Russian avant-garde forgeries 49

The Kandinsky and Popova cases (Analysis by micro-Raman spectroscopy) 50

The unexpectedly dramatic case of a Chagall painting (More tricks from the Russian market, Raman microscopy unravels a mystery) 51

Infrared spectroscopy (IR) and Fourier transform infrared micro-spectroscopy (micro-FTIR) 53

The Jackson Pollock case (revisited) 55

References 57

Chapter 3 Scientific Techniques Reliant on Mass Spectrometry 63

Introduction 63

Principle of mass spectrometry 64

Pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) 64

High-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) 65

Study by HPLC-MS of The Virgin and Child with an Angel 66

Laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LD-TOF-MS) 66

The Trotter affair 67

The Jackson Pollock affair 68

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) 69

Determination of the radioactive isotopes 137Cs and 90Sr by LA-ICP-MS and the Elena Basner affair 69

Study of the provenance of pigments 72

Mahmoud Said's Girl with Green Eyes 73

Multiple collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) 74

Authentication of paintings by lead isotopic ratio determination using MC-ICP-MS 74

Authentication of Vermeer's Saint Praxedis 76

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 79

The bomb peak effect 81

The Fernand Léger forgery 81

References 82

Chapter 4 Some X-ray-based Techniques 87

Introduction 87

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) 89

Vincent van Gogh's Sunset at Montmajour 90

Proton induced X-ray emission (FIXE) 91

Electron probe microanalyser 92

X-ray radiography (XRR) 92

Portrait of a Woman 93

Image alleged to have been created by Antonello da Messina 98

X-ray fluorescence recorded using synchrotron radiation 100

Van Gogh's previously unknown floral still life 101

X-ray computer tomography 103

X-ray diffraction 105

X-ray micro-diffraction using synchrotron radiation 106

References 107

Chapter 4 Infrared Reflectography 111

Principle and recent developments 112

The Virgin and Child with an Angel 116

Portrait of Anna Zborowski 117

Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci 118

The Prado Mona Lisa 120

References 122

Chapter 6 Digital Techniques in Art Authentication 125

Principles of weave analysis 125

Luminosity histograms and the artist's hand 129

Multispectral imaging and the layer amplification method (LAM) 130

How does Cotte's multispectral imaging work? 131

Lady with an Ermine 132

References 137

Chapter 7 Dendrochronolgy 139

The Beltracchi affair (revisited) 140

References 142

Chapter 8 The Beguiling Odalisque - Is the Courtroom the Proper Venue for Authentication? 145

Challenges to authentication 145

Connoisseurs diverge - an inferior painting? 147

Worth forging? 147

Archival references and provenance? 148

Scientific experts vie for the truth 149

Is the courtroom the proper venue for authentication? 152

References 155

Chapter 9 Three Portraits, Two Women - Can Science Decide? 157

The first painting: The Louvre Mona Lisa 158

Multispectral imaging and X-ray fluorescence shed light on sfumato 159

X-ray fluorescence 161

The second painting: The Isleworth Mona Lisa 162

Multispectral imaging 164

Dating of the canvas by accelerator mass spectroscopy (AMS) 165

Geometric analysis and the Vitruvian Man 166

Computer image processing 167

La Bella Principessa 167

Multispectral imaging 170

C14 dating using AMS 170

Authentic or copy? Can science decide? 171

References 174

Chapter 10 Psychology of the Viewer 177

Beyond, aesthetics 180

Belief and the human mind 181

References 187

Chapter 11 Psychology of the Forger 189

The psychology of the forger 189

Racked by turmoil 190

The art establishment: The ultimate target? 194

Entirely devoid of creativity? 197

References 198

Chapter 12 Reflections on the Turbulent World of Authentication 201

References 211

Picture Credits 215

Glossary 219

Index 251

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