Are They Pollocks or Bollocks?

Scientist says pigments on the paintings weren't patented while artist was alive
By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 15, 2007 8:42 PM CDT

Paintings dug out of an old Hamptons locker might light up the art world with multi-million dollar sales or prove to be utter fakes, Newsweek reports. Marked “Pollock Experiments” and dribbled in the American artist’s style, the small pictures on cardboard will be drawing crowds in Boston next month – and sparking arguments from scholars and scientists as collectors wait in the wings with checkbooks at the ready.

Elbowing into the squabble is a scientist who says pigments on the pictures weren’t even patented when Pollock was alive. A leading scholar supports the find, stressing Pollock’s relationship with a friend who kept the paintings in storage. Meanwhile Pollock’s foundation is so skeptical that they're keeping his verified works away from the show’s catalog. (More Jackson Pollock stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X