In light of the recent Sotherby’s sale of a magnificent Botticelli, I thought I would share with you a fascinating true story of one of the most far-reaching and elaborate cons in the history of art forgery. Provenance tells the story of John Drewe and John Myatt who between them, conned the art world and legitimized hundreds of forged pieces, skillfully manipulating provenance. Many of these forged artworks, it is argued, are still considered genuine and hang in private collections and prominent museums to this day. Salisbury and Sujo have written a captivating story which I highly recommendd.
