Description

Immediate dispatch from Somerset. Nice book in great condition. Pages in excellent condition. No notes or highlighting. Dustcover has some wear but actual book looks little used. See images. Fantastic book.

About the book >.>.> The vast amount of swindling plaguing the international art market is by itself more than sufficient justification for the publication of information useful for the detection of fraud. It would be unfortunate however if this book were read primarily in the light of the dubious for its primary concern is the genuine. After all fakes are detected by the genuine. Fakes have only rarely been the subject of Shakespearean scale tragedies. What may be fascinating in the human drama is not necessarily fascinating for the professional. As an object of study forgeries very soon become boring. Bredius Hofstede de Groot Friedl?nder Hulin de Loo and Berenson were once called the ‘popes’ of art expertise. It is right to honour these illustrious authorities as well as many less famous names. Their work lay in pioneering. Their knowledge and insight are still being used and rightly so. Their misconceptions and errors since brought to light by continuing research in no way detract from their invaluable merits. Indeed Berenson himself predicted with shrewd insight that his attributions would very soon be contested. Very little is absolutely certain in the judgment of works of art. Certain is for example everybody’s point of departure: from the simple amateur to the connoisseur and professional expert the starting point is complete ignorance. Let us admit that our knowledge is in fact simply a degree of ignorance. It is advisable to remember this at any moment. (MP)