You spent how much?
April 30 2012
Picture: Mail
The story of a newly discovered 'Lost Turner' hit the news this weekend, with a big splash in the Sunday Times. I've only seen the picture from the press photos, so can't comment on the attribution. But one thing struck me as very odd about the tale:
When Frank Faryab bought an obscure oil painting for thousands of pounds in a private sale, it was just the start of his outlay on the work.
For the art and antiques dealer has since spent more than £2million and much of the past five years trying to convince others it was by JMW Turner, one of Britain's greatest painters. [...]
He will not say how much he paid for the seascape, a 20in x 16in oil-on-pine panel of a hazy sailing ship, but he can list the great lengths he went to for the painting to gain recognition.
He has had the painting cleaned and reframed and has gathered scientific evidence, including infrared dating, checking fingerprints and artistic tests to prove its provenance.
Now I flatter myself that I know a thing or two about authenticating pictures. There's no way you could ever spend £2m on such a process. And even if you could, wouldn't you prefer to go out and buy an undoutedly authentic Turner?
