Abstract
The demise of the Knoedler Gallery due to the sale of a shocking number of forged artworks reveals how a group of determined individuals can exploit the flaws endemic to the art market. The Knoedler Gallery was one of the world’s most respected galleries. Yet with careful investigation and understanding, the false histories and authentications of the works of art eventually came to light. This case study examines some of the high-profile forgeries purporting to be works by important 20th Century artists such as Richard Diebenkorn, Robert Motherwell, and Mark Rothko. The forged works of art fooled the market for a short period of time, but as more and more questions were raised, the diligent work of curators, artist’s families, and other art dealers revealed the full extent of the forgery network.
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Notes
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Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act 18 U.S.C. §§ 1961–1968 (2012).
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Fincham, D. (2019). Case Study 2: The Knoedler Art Forgery Network. In: Hufnagel, S., Chappell, D. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook on Art Crime. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-54405-6_17
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