Promovendus: Mw. Dr. A.K.J. Bolz

Promotores: Mw. Prof.Dr. H.E.G.S. Schneider, Prof.Mr. G.R. de Groot

Duur: 15/4/2014 - 31/5/2017

Promotie: Maastricht, 23/10/2019

Abstract:

The art market has witnessed a so far unprecedented level of forgery and authenticity cases in the last couple of years, bringing up the question whether its reliance on longstanding traditions and processes regarding authenticity, forgeries and the central role of art experts is still appropriate for an efficiently working environment. The uncovering of many forgery scandals and the upcoming of a great number of lawsuits involving art experts and authentication boards already seem to answer this in the negative. The research focuses on the peculiarities of the art market and explores the central role of art experts (especially with regard to the erosion of expertise in an increasingly litigious society), their role in authentication (regarding authentication in court and their liability in lawsuits) and finally, aims at developing initiatives of how to improve the present situation, either through external or voluntary regulatory means. It furthermore evaluates the measures that have already been introduced (such as the Basel Art Trade Guidelines as well as several other initiatives from institutes such as Authentication in Art).