The case of van Meegeren continues to live! Fake follower of the unknown genius forger convinced even the experts at Sotheby's. The scandal is growing, and police are looking for the author

Experts say that such extensive exposure of the forgeries of Frans Hals, Lucas Cranach and other first and second names of the old masters market has not been since mehernosh "Vermeer". At issue is the authenticity of the works, the total cost (still) around $200 000 000.

the British press reports that at the beginning of this year, French police seized the exhibition "Venus" supposedly Lucas Cranach the Prince of Liechtenstein in the framework of a full-scale investigation of fraud, counterfeiting, which involves almost 25 paintings of the old masters. "Venus" supposedly 1531 Prince sold in the London gallery Colnaghi Gallery three years ago for £6 000 000. Now the painting experts of the Louvre, which have large doubts about the authenticity (or rather, is already there, most likely, but formally the results of their work have not yet been announced).

Then, recently, Sotheby's had to deal with the return of "Frans Hals" cost £8 400 000. Also turned out to be false. It was sold to well-known collector from the USA. And now the auction is dealing with a dealer who brought them to the job.

in addition to the Hals, are aware of the issue with the work "Orazio Gentileschi". His "David with the head of Goliath", sold to the young collector, also turned out to be not good enough. Piquancy of the situation adds the fact that "David" for a long time hung in the London National gallery on loan. This is about-го-го some provenance.

the provenance scheme and got burned. A fake, made on a high technical level, managed to sell through galleries, drag in the collections of prominent collectors. Rogues almost everything, but to create a convincing history of existence did not work. And Cranach from my grandmother's attic do not happen. Should be mention in the literature of the century exhibition history. It's also possible to try to fake, but much more difficult, and if you want everything checked.

But had there been no scandal, and a few years later these works were to be exposed on auctions with highly compelling stories: "from the collection of the Prince of Liechtenstein" or "from the collection of famous American collector". It is quite another thing.

According to the British journalists, the traces of criminals conduct to Italy. Many things suspiciously passed through the hands of 71-летнего French collector with an Italian name, but he rightly argues that it is the same collector as all, and not an expert. Nobody caught. And the old masters market, which has always been slow growing, but reliable, after this many years to lick their wounds. Like our antique market after a large-scale scandal with the turnings of the European artists in the Wanderers. As for the immediate impact of the scandal on our market, it is unlikely to be noticeable. Collectors of old masters in Russia too (including very rich and powerful), but they are few.

Vladimir Bogdanov, AI

Sources: dailymail.co.uk, interfax.ru, artinvestment.ru