Journalist Claims 'Negligence' and 'Charm' Drove Forgers Success
February 24 2021
Picture: TAN
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The journalist Vincent Noce, who has penned a new book entitled L'Affaire Ruffini, has claimed that the 'negligence' of art work experts and the personal 'charm' of Giuliano Ruffini helped the success of his forgery network. Noce has spent five years researching the various forgery links to Ruffini, including the fake Cranach that was seized by French authorities from the Prince of Lichtenstein's collection in 2016 (pictured).
The journalist is quoted saying:
The most surprising thing is the manner in which museums, gallerists, dealers didn't try to discover the history of the canvases, allowing themselves to be seduced by the finesse of the copies.
There has been a great negligence among experts and conservators who didn't question the lack of provenance of the artworks and were happy to rely on a visual examination - sometimes just a photograph - without any laboratory tests.
The Italian authorities are currently pursuing Ruffini in the courts on tax evasion charges which will have to be settled before a French extradition request will be heard.
