3.1. The Modigliani Scandal

Imagen en Flickr de David Flam bajo CC

Imagen en Flickr de Eric Baker bajo CC

When he died in 1920, like many artists, the Italian painter and sculptor Amadeo Modigliani (1884-1920 ) was far less well-known than now. A modernist artist, he became known for paintings and sculptures in a style characterized by mask-like faces and elongation of form. Curiously, since his painting was so consistent and is regularly auctioned at multi-million dollar prices, he has become one of the world's most faked artists. Just last week, Giovanni Verdi, the president of the Modigliani Institute, dedicated to defending his legacy, was arrested on suspicion of falsely attributing a series of artworks to the late artist.

The arrest is related to an investigation which goes back to 2011, when 15 fake Modigliani works were removed from an exhibition that Parisot organised at the Art Museum of Palermo. It is believed that the art expert provided false certificates of authenticity to counterfeit Modigliani works worth over €12 million in order to sell them on to collectors. While Verdi was compiling a monograph of the artist's oeuvre, both paintings and sculptures, he was also filling his pockets making money from supposed masterpieces, so he was sacked by the Modigliani Institute's governing body, as soon as the news broke.  

He is expected to face trial later this year, once the Italian police finish their investigation.

Article adapted from information in Wikipedia