INGENIOUS METHODS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 31 October 1924, Page 8

INGENIOUS METHODS.

USED BY FORGERS. Recent complaints by well-known artists mat certain •cf Liieir pictures have been duplicated oy lorgeis nave urartn attention to. a subject- witn winch, le.v people, even‘ m v ait m c« S) aid acquainted. tto skilful. is tne modern picture taker tinit experts are oiteu received. on me Continen t the re are several schools or forgers, wiio ie<q> large sums by laicing pictures lor export to- Eng--1 nml ana America. aacii group iius its own style and methods of work. One scnooi, tor instance, imitates the paintings or uemmunde, • another Van i/yca, anotner Muhens.

Une man in each 'group is responsible tor copying Heads and laces, umne another occupies himself solely warn draperies and clothing, and so on. 'ine lesuit of their joint efforts is a marvel of ingenuity,-the smahest decaus o: tne original artists’ work being reproanceu witn wonderful accuracy.

-To. give the elieefc or'age, the forged picture is stained several times \%iCn varnish, the last coat being applied ac a certain temperature. Foudeied corfee and the white of egg are appi.eu to comp.ete the deception. LTaea*, are lhiitated by covering the canvas with old glue, and drying id in a special room.

In determining a picture’s genuineness the camera, the microscope, the Xnrays, and. analytical chemistry plav a big part. Magnified photographs of the brushwork of the doubtful picture are compared with others taken from authentic pictures bv the artist, concerned, tiny fragments of paint being removed for chemical examination Science, m fact, will ultimately lead to the extinction of this class of lorgary.