ART HOAX

Evening Star, Issue 20053, 19 December 1928, Page 2

ART HOAX

ANTIQUES TO ORDER SCHEMER’S BIG HAUL. How a gigantic art hoax was played on two continents after the war hag been disclosed (reports the Milan correspondent of ‘The Times*). : The ‘ Corriere della Sera ’ says that a Tuscan antiquary, usually trading in Bam, met a young Cremona sculptor, who wm an expert in reproducing old masters, and who also possessed a secret coating, imparting a characteristic ancient colour. The antiquary, with a Roman art dealer, conceived the plan of selling the sculptor’s work as genuine masterpieces, and persuaded him to sell his work $o them exclusively. The sculptor, unaware of any fraud, Worked for small pay, while the ethers acquired a huge fortune. The defrauded institutions include She Boston, New York, Munich, and Berlin Museums, while a group of tViennese negotiated for an alleged Donatello Madonaa. . OVER-REACHED THEMSELVES. Finally, the hoaxers marketed two mints with a portion of n altar bearing the initials of Simon Martini. the famous fourteenth century artist. The Friok Gallery in New York opened negotiations to buy both the alleged Donatello and the Martini, snd the affair was nearly concluded when Frick’s commissioner doubted their genuineness and sent representatives to Italy. The sellers were unable to explain satisfactorily where they obtained the masterpieces, and the Frick authorities cancelled the contract. The obscure sculptor then heard of the affair and revealed the fraud. He declares the other men paid him Eoorly, saying that the woik was •rd to sell. It is estimated that the I schemers netted 40,000/000 lire t%35448/0(W/