In the realm of art forgery, it is not so much the quality of the fake art that fools victims, but rather the sneaky backstory that comes along with the bogus pictures. In his book, The Art of the Con: The Most Notorious Fakes, Frauds and Forgeries in the Art World, Anthony M. Amore presents some intriguing examples of artful deceptions... and explains how many artists, collectors and hopeful investors have fallen for stories too good to be true.
Divided into eleven chapters, the book expertly relays tales both well-known and semi-obscure… including the colorful forgeries of Wolfgang Baltracchi, Pei-Shen Qian and the downfall of the prestigious Knoedler & Company, Larry Salander and his double-crossing scam to rip off his own celebrity friends, Brian Ramnarine's unauthorized Flag sculptures by Jasper Johns, fake John Singer Sargent paintings, the theft and complex recovery of 7 works (including a Cezanne) stolen from Michael Bakwin's Stockbridge home in 1978, Ely Sackhai's sweatshop assembly of copied mid-level works, Tatiana Khan and a fake Picasso pastel, the family of Leon Amiel and forged signatures on fake prints, Kristine Eubanks' bizarre telescam and the pitfalls of eBay.
While a great deal of the text focuses on the criminals who perpetrate the frauds, equal measures are afforded in giving deserved credit to the hard-working law enforcement officials who expose and quell the collateral damage brought on by the scams. LAPD Art Theft Detective Don Hrycyk, Julian Radcliffe, Art Recovery International's Chris Marinello and FBI Special Agent Geoff Kelly are praised along with organizations like IFAR and the Art Loss Register, whose efforts serve to aid the investigations into Art Crime.
Well-versed in the field of art recovery and security, Anthony Amore offers keen insights into the investigative process that most other Art Crime authors tend to miss. The Art of the Con is well worth the cover price, providing an unvarnished look at the fraudulent side of the Art World.
WWII Fake Vermeer by Han van Meegeren: The Art of the Con. Anthony Amore
Wolfgang Baltracchi: The Art of the Con. Anthony Amore
Fake Leger by Wolfgang Baltracchi: The Art of the Con. Anthony Amore
Wolfgang Baltracchi: The Art of the Con. Anthony Amore
Pei Shen Qian, Art Forger: The Art of the Con. Anthony Amore
Fake Jackson Pollock by Pei Shen Qian: The Art of the Con. Anthony Amore
Larry Salander: The Art of the Con. Anthony Amore
Flags by Jasper Johns: The Art of the Con. Anthony Amore
Brian Ramnarine: The Art of the Con. Anthony Amore
Unauthorized Flag Sculture by Jasper Johns: The Art of the Con. Anthony Amore
Julian Radcliffe, Art Loss Register: The Art of the Con. Anthony Amore
Cezanne painting, stolen and recovered: The Art of the Con. Anthony Amore
Michael Bakwin and his recovered paintings: The Art of the Con. Anthony Amore
Fake Picasso pastel drawing: The Art of the Con. Anthony Amore
Written and directed by Jonathan Sobol, The Art of the Steal (2013) is a well-made and underrated Art Heist comedy with plenty of twists. The story concerns a group of art thieves who first steal a Gauguin and a Seurat, then concoct a complex plan to switch a valuable Gutenberg book with a fake at a Canadian Customs House. Double-crosses and laughs permeate the well-written script, making any far-fetched scenarios forgivable. Forgery, swindles and art theft mix together in a surprise turnaround. An entertaining montage reflects on the infamous theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in 1911… with the popular Marquis de Valfierno, Vincenzo Peruggia and Yves Chaudron forgery myth playing out and tying into the story. Kurt Russell is excellent in the lead role. The supporting cast is great as well, including Matt Dillon, Jay Baruchel and Terence Stamp.
Art Museum: The Art of the Steal
Con Man: The Art of the Steal
Illicit Art Collector: The Art of the Steal
Kurt Russell: The Art of the Steal
Gauguin theft and forgery switch: The Art of the Steal
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Kurt Russell in prison: The Art of the Steal
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Kurt Russell: The Art of the Steal
Kurt Russell: The Art of the Steal
stolen Seurat painting and Matt Dillon: The Art of the Steal
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Seurat and Matt Dillon: The Art of the Steal
Art Thief: The Art of the Steal
Kurt Russell and Jay Baruchel: The Art of the Steal
Katheryn Winnick: The Art of the Steal
Kurt Russell: The Art of the Steal
Kurt Russell: The Art of the Steal
Terence Stamp: The Art of the Steal
INTERPOL: The Art of the Steal
Katheryn Winnick: The Art of the Steal
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Jay Baruchel and Kurt Russell: The Art of the Steal
Jay Baruchel and Kurt Russell: The Art of the Steal
Matt Dillon and Kurt Russell: The Art of the Steal
Kurt Russell: The Art of the Steal
Matt Dillon: The Art of the Steal
Kurt Russell: The Art of the Steal
INTERPOL: The Art of the Steal
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Matt Dillon: The Art of the Steal
Jay Baruchel and Kurt Russell: The Art of the Steal
Jay Baruchel and Kurt Russell: The Art of the Steal
: The Art of the Steal
Jay Baruchel: The Art of the Steal
Jay Baruchel: The Art of the Steal
Matt Dillon and Jay Baruchel: The Art of the Steal
