"Fake, but accurate" in the art world

A major story in the art world today is the revelation that a supposed Paul Gauguin sculpture, a prized possession of the Art Institute of Chicago, is in fact the creation of the lesser-known Shaun Greenhalgh of Bolton, England.

But there is a story from Germany that I find more interesting, as it reminds me of the "Fake, but accurate" Killian memos that sank Dan Rather's CBS News career.

From Expatica, here is a new Grimm tale:

The Museum of Ethnology in the port city of Hamburg, which has been embarrassed by worldwide attention, put up a sign Wednesday that the figures were copies.

The German-based company that supplied the figures had admitted they were not originals, although the contract it concluded with the museum stipulated they were original, a statement by the museum said.

Yolna Grimm of Centre of Chinese Arts and Culture (CCAC) claimed the Leipzig, Germany firm had never said the figures were original but that they were "authentic."

He said the contract with the museum promised "authentic ceramic figures made of original material."

The latter word meant Xi'an clay, he said. "To us, authentic means they are ceramic, life-sized and comparable with the originals," added Grimm.

Herr Grimm: Just say it, "Fake, but accurate."

Technorati tags: art crime Hamburg Germany Deutschland Bolton museums England forgery China 中國 中国 Chicago