Jonathan Jones: Peter Doig’s prices are as abstract as his paintings. Attempts to verify this picture – and boost its value by millions – show the art market has survived the recession with ease

I am working on an essay that examines the connoisseur’s methods of authentication vs the conservator’s and so am reading many many articles, blog posts, etc with the above title.

All I’ve gathered so far is that ‘the experts’, the connoisseurs, are pompous and scared of their growing irrelevancy.

I only hope that by the time I’ve finished my research and writing this thing that I’ll have a different opinion!

BARENAKED LADIES KEYBOARDIST SUING DEALER OVER FAKE?

“By various accounts, Mr. Morrisseau is estimated to have completed 10,000 to 15,000 paintings. Over the years, Morrisseau associates, dealers, collectors, auction houses, scholars and the artist’s family have debated which of these are authentic and which, if any, are fraudulent.”

On the one hand people are often reluctant to call something a fake- there’s too much at stake: money, pride, reputation- on the other hand sometimes things get labeled ‘fake’ based on hunches and guess work.

Which will this be I wonder?

He can go have a big Fuck Off cocktail with V.S. Naipaul.

“George Clooney has lined up an incredible cast for his next film, Monuments Men. … the story centers on a group of art experts selected by the U.S. Government to chase down the stolen art of Europe during World War II.”

SUPER CONSERVATORS

See also:

Monuments Men: Robert M. Edsel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monuments,_Fine_Arts,_and_Archives_program

The Forger’s Spell: Edward Dolnick

“Cleaning this tiny ‘Virgin and Child’ revealed a beautiful surprise – Gossaert’s original painting!”- The National Gallery

I look forward to many fruitful years doing this for a living.

Gabrielle d’Estrees and One of Her Sisters

School of Fontainebleau

16th Century

(via HEROES OF CULTURE: The Piquant Nipple, or Who Doesn’t Like Breasts?)

From a collection of early 19th Century erotica

Caption: “Ah! What a sweet little arse!”

(via Gay Art - 19th Century Gay Erotica - The World History of Male Love)

Egon Schiele

Pair of Women

1915

The Sleep of Endymion

Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson

1791

(via CGFA- Girodet-Trioson: Endymion Asleep)