In the art world, being able to distinguish between a masterpiece and a copy can prevent a multimillion dollar mistake. In 2011, art forger Wolfgang Beltracchi was sentenced to six years in prison for producing hundreds of fake paintings, one of which later sold for $7 million. His paintings duped hundreds of people, including Steve Martin, who hung a forgery in his home for years.
However, a year later, in 2012, Cezanne’s painting “The Card Players” was sold at auction for $250 million, the most ever paid for a work of art. Obviously art collectors are prepared to pay a high price for a verified work. How does one tell the difference?
For better or for worse, original art has been copied for centuries. Art students learn the trade by copying masterpieces and often reproductions have been used to provide a less expensive version of a popular painting. With the advent of advanced digital copying techniques, it can be hard to distinguish a reproduction from an original.
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