Etruscan Forgeries: The Arts of Profit and Deceit

1 October 2012

Etruscan Forgeries: The Arts of Profit and Deceit

The reasons why forgeries of Etruscan art are especially attractive to scammers and swindlers will be the focus on an upcoming public lecture hosted by the Classics programme at Victoria University.

The audience will be put to the test during the lecture and asked whether they think one, both, or neither of two terracotta sculptures are authentic.

“Forgeries of Etruscan art, produced by the Etruscan civilization in central Italy between the 9th and 2nd centuries BC, have been made from at least as early as the 15th century,” says Emeritus Professor Richard de Puma, from the University of Iowa, who is in New Zealand to deliver the biennial Sir Ronald Syme Memorial Lecture.

“The period between 1850 and 1950 saw a remarkable number of forgeries produced and accepted as authentic for 75 to 100 years after their creation.”

Emeritus Professor de Puma, a Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Classical Art and Archaeology, will explore why Etruscan art, and particularly terracotta sculptures, are especially vulnerable to forgery and examine why some forgeries, but not all, can be detected.

Professor Arthur Pomeroy, Programme Director of Classics at Victoria University, says proving the provenance and validity of historical art is an important matter, as in recent years artworks, and even ones in the most prestigious museums, have been returned to their country of production when their manner of acquisition has been questioned.

“People develop tastes for particular styles and periods and so the pressures of the market make forgeries worth the risk, sometimes even for very high profile people. But in return curators are becoming more knowledgeable about forgeries and the styles of forgers. New technologies can play a part in identifying copies too.”

Emeritus Professor de Puma will illustrate the methods archaeologists and art historians use to date works. He will present a pair of terracotta sculptures long believed to be Etruscan works from circa 100 BC collected by a American museum in 1912 for an audience ‘vote’ on their authenticity. Radioactive dating techniques will provide audience members with some answers.

Sir Ronald Syme Memorial Lecture—Emeritus Professor Richard de Puma
Etruscan Forgeries: The Arts of Profit and Deceit
Wednesday 3 October, 6pm
Hunter Council Chamber, Level 2, Hunter Building
Victoria University, Kelburn Parade, Wellington

Phone (04) 472 1000 to RSVP or email rsvp@vuw.ac.nz with ‘Syme’ in the subject line.

About Sir Ronald Syme
Sir Ronald Syme OM was a New Zealand classical scholar who began his studies at Victoria University before going on to become Camden Professor of Ancient History at the University of Oxford. He died in 1989, a few days before the 50th anniversary of the publication of his famous book The Roman Revolution.

Sir Ronald left a bequest to the Classics programme at Victoria University, which, together with contributions from a number of benefactors, funds a biennial invitation to prominent international scholars to lecture in Wellington in the field of Classics.

ENDS

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