Art Market
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Art market deception, a practice that allows forgers and forgeries to thrive, constitutes a criminal practice that undermines the public reputation of artists whose works are imitated, the credibility of the sellers involved, and the potential buyers. While the production and sale of forged artworks is illegal, proving that a seller knew about a forgery remains difficult, resulting in the evasion of prosecution by individuals who should face legal consequences. Furthermore, identifying the original forger presents challenges for law enforcement. Tracing a piece’s lifespan can be difficult, as forged works frequently exchange hands multiple times before being identified as fraudulent; thus, proving a piece’s entire provenance to determine its origins and authenticity becomes a necessity to prevent the circulation and selling of forgeries.
The art market faces significant ethical challenges as well, particularly concerning transparency, authenticity, and the exploitation of artists. For example, the art market frequently operates within systems where provenance is obscured or unverifiable, exposing buyers to the risk of acquiring forged works. This also facilitates the exploitation of artists, whose work is often resold at elevated prices with no financial benefit to them. Online marketplaces have similarly compounded these concerns, as internet sales allow forgeries to circulate inconspicuously, often without physical inspection by buyers. This is especially problematic for antique artworks, which often require in-person authentication due to their material composition. Consequently, online platforms have become prime venues for selling forged antiques. These issues highlight the need for greater industry-wide accountability and ethical standards.
Examples from the exhibition of modern art fakes, such as the fake Warhol, Boetti and Schifano, demonstrate how stylistic replication has impacted art movements and, moreover, viewer perception. Within the Neapolitan art scene, artists like Leon Giuseppe Buono and Gaetano Bocchetti have become particularly susceptible to forgery due to the popularity of their recognizable styles. These forgeries offer valuable insight into how artistic legacies are manipulated in the contemporary market.
- L. G. Buono, Country Landscape
Date: 21st century; Forgery of Leon Giuseppe Buono (Italian, Naples 1888–1975 Pozzuoli)
Medium: Tempera on panel
Dimensions: 23.3 x 30.6 cm (9.1 x 12 in.)
Credit Line: Comando Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale (TPC)
The Neapolitan artist Leon Giuseppe Buono was recognized for his ability to render detailed nostalgic natural scenes through expressive brushwork and a nuanced understanding of light and color. His works often highlight the dynamic between humanity and nature, with balanced cool and warm tones enhancing this thematic focus. This forgery fails to replicate Buono’s distinct tonal complexity and spatial coherence. Additionally, the signature diverges from authenticated examples; the exaggerated upward curve in the final “o” of “Buono” is inconsistent with his verified signatures, indicating falsification.
- G. Bocchetti, Mountain Landscape
Date: 21st century; Forgery of Gaetano Bocchetti (Italian, Naples 1888–1990 Naples)
Medium: Tempera on canvas
Dimensions: 24 x 29 cm (9.4 x 11.4 in.)
Credit Line: Comando Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale (TPC)
Gaetano Bocchetti was one of the most prominent Neapolitan painters of the 20th century, known for his meticulous attention to details, vibrant color palette, and compositional depth. His works frequently emphasize contrast between subject and background, producing a heightened sense of realism. This forgery, based on Bocchetti’s original painting Paesaggio Rurale (“Rural Landscape”) created in 1970s, lacks the chromatic vibrancy and architectural detail of the authentic piece. The absence of his characteristic bright blue skies, replaced here by a flat, gray backdrop, further reveals the inauthenticity of this painting.
- M. Schifano, Abstract Landscape
Date: 21st century; Forgery of Mario Schifano (Italian [born Libya], Khoms 1934–1998 Rome)
Medium: Enamel on canvas
Dimensions: 100 x 100 cm (39.3 x 39.3 in.)
Credit Line: Comando Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale (TPC)
This forgery depicts an abstract landscape that combines many forms and colors including blue lines and large splashes of red, beige, green, and yellow paint. These motifs are a recurring theme in Mario Schifano’s paintings. Schifano enjoyed incorporating pop culture into his art and using non-conventional materials and methods such as collages and gestural abstraction. The use of vivid colors and abstract details is typical of many of Schifano’s works. The relatively simple style of the artist rooted in recognizable imaginary that creates a sense of familiarity and repetition makes it easier to replicate his works. The forger attempted to imitate the style of the artist but the incorrect signature at the back contributes to reveal the lack of authenticity of this painting.
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