Tag Archive "national-gallery-london"

Close Examination: Fakes, Mistakes, Discoveries at the National Gallery, London

The most sensational aspect of the attribution of paintings as far as the general public is concerned is the subject of fakes, despite the fact that few art historians ever encounter them. What, exactly, is a fake? A painting that appears to be something other than what it is? Not always. Traditional academic training involved copying, and a copy of one work by a student, no matter how close to the model, is not a fake. If a later owner offers the copy as the work of the master, one might use the term fake, providing the owner is aware ... More » »

More Museum Studies; Artists as Docents

Rijksmuseum Amsterdam with banner for For the Love of God Damian Hirst, November – December, 2008 I arrived in Amsterdam on Dec. 14 on an overnight flight, took a nap and awoke to the suggestion from my friend, Barbara that we go to the Rijksmuseum for the last day of an exhibition. The work in question was For the Love of God, Damien Hirst’s diamond-encrusted skull along with a small room of paintings that Hirst selected from the museum’s collection.