COLLECTION NAME:
Undergraduate Thesis Collection
Record
Title:
The Unusual Suspects: Art Forgery in Modern Art Historical Applications
Creator:
Krutsch, Jane
Subject:
Thesis (B.F.A.) -- Art History
Subject:
Savannah College of Art and Design -- Department of Art History
Rights:
Copyright is retained by the authors or artists of items in this collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Abstract:
"Weaving together a written triptych of sorts, this research combines theories from multiple concentrations, matching them to real-life case studies of art crime to critically reevaluate the art historical definition of art forgery. Referencing anthropologists’, philosophers’, and psychologists’ analyses of art crime and art forgery, this thesis focuses on three important analytical concepts of forgery. First and foremost, using Wolfgang Beltracchi's forgeries as a case study, this thesis will address the prevalent notion that art forgery stems from a lack of creativity, not technical skill. Second, an analysis of the Ann Freedman /Knoedler Gallery scandal will highlight the emotional reaction in viewers – often one based in insecurity, distrust, and rage – elicited by the high degree of trust that buyers place in art dealers and scholars to protect them from forgery. Finally, this thesis will keep in mind that forgery is a Western concept, as evident by the Kwoma people’s artistic practices and replication, and how those practices changed after the Kwoma’s contact with Europeans from discarding used artistic objects to selling them to collectors and tourists. Throughout the paper, there will also be conversations about what is not forgery – why are plagiarism, copyright infringement, and piracy different than forgery, and how does one discern those differences? Additionally, this paper aims to address the appalling lack of academic art historical research into art crime, especially art forgery. Overall, this research will precisely define, explain, and showcase what art forgery means from an art historical perspective." --Abstract
Keywords: anthropology, art crime, art forgery, Wolfgang Beltracchi, copyright, Ann Freedman, Kwoma, plagiarism, philosophy, piracy, psychology.
Keywords: anthropology, art crime, art forgery, Wolfgang Beltracchi, copyright, Ann Freedman, Kwoma, plagiarism, philosophy, piracy, psychology.
Publisher:
Savannah, Georgia: Savannah College of Art and Design
Date:
2025-05
Format:
1 online resource: 1 PDF (Thesis, 35 pages, color illustrations)