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Gauguin Sculpture a Fake

'The Faun' outed as impostor after decade in Chicago art museum

By Jane Yager,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 12, 2007 12:03 PM CST
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(Newser) – After a decade on display at the Art Institute of Chicago, a ceramic figure allegedly sculpted by Paul Gauguin was revealed yesterday to be a fake. The museum discovered 'The Faun,' a half-man, half-goat figure, to be the work not of the 19th century French artist, but of a British family notorious for producing art forgeries, the AP reports.

The museum, which refused to disclose how much it paid, has traced the counterfeit sculpture to the Greenhalghs, a family who long ran a forgery operation in which the son created fakes that the elderly parents sold on the art market. Greenhalgh productions include an 'Egyptian' statuette and 'Assyrian' stone reliefs. The son is now in prison, the mother got a suspended sentence, and the father awaits sentencing.

The Paul Gauguin sculpture The Faun housed by the Art Institute of Chicago has been discovered to be a fake, according to the museum.
The Paul Gauguin sculpture "The Faun" housed by the Art Institute of Chicago has been discovered to be a fake, according to the museum.   (artic.edu)
Visitors look at paintings by French artist Paul Gauguin at the opening of an exhibition at Rome's Vittoriano Museum, 05 October 2007.
Visitors look at paintings by French artist Paul Gauguin at the opening of an exhibition at Rome's Vittoriano Museum, 05 October 2007.   (Getty Images)
Visitor looks at paintings by French artist Paul Gauguin at the opening of an exhibition at Rome's Vittoriano Museum, 05 October 2007.
Visitor looks at paintings by French artist Paul Gauguin at the opening of an exhibition at Rome's Vittoriano Museum, 05 October 2007.   (Getty Images)
Visitors look at paintings by French artist Paul Gauguin at the opening of an exhibition at Rome's Vittoriano Museum, 05 October 2007.
Visitors look at paintings by French artist Paul Gauguin at the opening of an exhibition at Rome's Vittoriano Museum, 05 October 2007.   (Getty Images)
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How the Greenhalghs passed off their fake Gauguin
Chicago Tribune

'Brilliant' forgery duped the Art Institute
Chicago Sun-Times

 
art museum • art market • Chicago • art • Britain • art auction • Paul Gauguin • Art Institute of Chicago • forgeries • Shaun Greenhalgh • Olive Greenhalgh • George Greenhalgh • forgery

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