|
New for 2007 - two fairs in one From 1 – 4 February 2007, a remarkable range of several thousand pictures will be offered for sale, spanning every style and period from the 17th Century to Contemporary. Over 70 galleries will exhibit, for the first time filling two floors of 6 Burlington Gardens. To see the complete list and to access contact details and sample pictures, click here. The Watercolours & Drawings Fair features pictures from the 17th Century to the present day, all drawn by hand, in ink , pencil, crayon , chalk, pastel, charcoal , gouache , or watercolour. MODERN WORKS ON PAPER presents a wider range of original art on paper, including prints , photographs and posters , from the 20th and 21st Centuries. All the art is for sale, at prices from £250 to £150,000. Every picture will be vetted by a committee of museum experts, and will be labelled with full details including the price. Pictures bought at this famously friendly fair can be taken away on the day. All the works are vetted by a team of experts for value and authenticity. PLEASE NOTE: Entry to the Charity Preview Evening on 31 January is strictly by pre-purchased ticket only. No tickets for the Preview will be available on the door. By arrangement with The Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington Gardens.
"The Art of Deception" 1 - 4 February At The Royal Academy of Arts, 6 Burlington Gardens, London W1S 3EX This unusual loan exhibition offers a very rare chance for the public to see examples of pictures that are not what they first seem to be. Some are outright fakes or forgeries, some have been mistakenly attributed to the wrong artist, others are reproductions that were thought to be original drawings. Collectors will find valuable tips as to what to look out for when buying. They will also gain assurance that the expert eyes of art dealers are the best defence in spotting "wrong" pictures before they reach the market. TWO EXAMPLES OF PICTURES THAT WILL APPEAR IN THIS EXHIBITION Thomas Rowlandson This is a prime example of the work of a yet to be unmasked faker believed to be based in South-East London. He has been very active over the last two or three years placing his forgeries in several high profile country auction rooms. As is so often the case his greed lead to diminishing returns. After initially getting some very high prices and fooling a number of buyers he overplayed his hand and gave the game away by putting too many on the market at once. Now that we know they are fakes we wonder how we could ever have thought otherwise! The faker chose his artist wisely because Rowlandson can be notoriously difficult. He was immensely prolific over a long career. His draughtsmanship and palette changed and could be erratic at the best of times. He produced second versions and monoprints of his work and was faked in his own lifetime. To make matters worse his colours were often fugitive and there was a regular industry in re-colouring genuine pictures. Parts of this fake are masterly and fluid. However it's mostly very plodding and the overall colour key is quite wrong. Easy to see with hindsight when placed against the real thing but very convincing when viewed on the internet or in a dark country auction room behind a piece of dirty glass on a damp November day ! William Heath Robinson- 'The New Outfit for Dispensi Dispensing with Caddies' An interesting choice of subject you might think but the faker knew what he was doing. Golfing subjects carry a considerable premium. If genuine this little drawing measuring 6" x 5" would be worth several thousand pounds. Once again the faker produced too many at once and it became obvious to all. The line is too uniform and the colouring too flat. The draughtsmanship pedestrian and lacking vigour. "The Art of Deception" will be held at The Watercolours & Drawings Fair with Modern Works on Paper, taking place at The Royal Academy of Arts, 6 Burlington Gardens, 1-4 February 2007. Fair information: www.worksonpaperfair.com, Tel: 07000 785 613 Press contact: Arabella Field press@watercoloursfair.com, Tel: 01798 861 815 |