Welcome!

This website was created as part of the humanities lab Copies, Fakes and Forgeries in the spring of Colby’s 2020–2021 academic year. The class made this site alongside a research paper by each student to serve as a reference and introduction to those interested in this aspect of the art world. Forgeries have been prevalent in art since ancient times and play a significant role in our understanding of authenticity and value, and can disrupt reputations, art sales, and historical knowledge wherever they are found. The forgers, meanwhile, have fascinating tales for how and why they produce fake objects and reveal flaws in the current process of connoisseurship.

The tabs Key Terms and Determining Authenticity & Detecting Forgery provide background for understanding forgeries and learning how to identify them. Film Reviews lists movies and documentaries about forgery with critique on how accurately they portray the subject, while People and Objects provides galleries of forgers and artworks. In Research Papers, each student chose an inquiry within the broader terms of copies, fakes, and forgeries to research over the semester. The Bibliography contains a range of sources used in the making of this website for further research.

By Amy Schubert

About the Course

Originality, authenticity, uniqueness, and value are central to understanding how copies, fakes, and forgeries have been understood over history. Topics include: art history as a discipline, art making and the technologies involved in creating convincing reproductions (meant to deceive or not), the detection of forgeries and the technologies involved. Comparison of original/authentic works and copies/forgeries will sharpen observational skills and show that how we look (and what we see) is guided by cultural, disciplinary, and commercial preconceptions and expectations. Students are expected to participate in the creation of an online virtual exhibition and complete research and writing assignments. Boundaries and Margins humanities lab.