Recent Art Forgeries: Detection by Carbon-14 Measurements

Abstract

THE faking of paintings is centuries old. Respectable imitation in the 15th and 16th centuries was followed by more profitable and now flourishing forgery¹. Although sophisticated scientific techniques have been applied to problems of authentication², most of these methods are concerned with the detection of forgeries of works 200 or more years old. The present trend, however, is to forge works of the late 19th century. There are some obvious advantages from the forgers' point of view: artists' materials typical of the period are still available, the production of work in a modern style is easier and less time consuming because very great age is troublesome to fake and, because prices are lower, less care is taken in examination and analysis before purchase.