For six months, representatives of ARTnews interviewed scholars, art dealers, working with different sources in the United States, Russia, Germany, France and Spain. The study showed that the number of counterfeit works of Russian avant-garde art market is so large that it has already exceeded the number of the original. "Counterfeit works than these" - said Alla Rosenfeld, curator of Soviet Nonconformist Art Norton Dodge at Rutgers University (Rutgers University) from 1992 to 2006 and former vice president of Sotheby's Russian Department in New York. "They can not count, - said Natalia Kournikova, the owner of the gallery Our Artists in Moscow. - But we can say that almost every artist, the price of whose paintings have grown, became a victim of the creators of forgeries.
President of Alfa Bank in Moscow and the owner of one of the world's finest collections of Russian avant-garde art Pyotr Aven, the number of counterfeits called "colossal." "It affects the art market, - says Rosenfeld - because people are beginning to be reluctant to buy works of Russian artists. According to Alexandra Shatskih, art historian and recognized leading expert on Russian avant-garde, the situation has worsened since 1996, when ARTnews published his first article on counterfeit Russian avant-garde. She also added that "with the emergence of Russian buyers in the art market created a new demand, which triggered a wave of imitations that largely exceeded the number of forgeries in the first half of 1990.
Fake images and trinkets "Faberge" from generation to disturb the art market, but over the past two decades, the growing demand for Russian art has led to more creative abuse. At some time "Russified" paintings - European landscapes and portraits of the 19 th century, converted into a Russian - was filled with galleries and antique shops in Moscow, and westward, appearing even at major auctions. That Russian modernism - the art of the first three decades of the 20 century - has attracted the majority of Western collectors and as a result - the creation of forgeries.
Hundreds of works have appeared in recent years in the auction houses and galleries across Europe, from Munich to Madrid. In such works are very sketchy provenance, in which certain statements are repeated over and over again: they say that the works come from the hitherto unknown private collection, or that they were secretly imported to Israel by immigrants in the 70's, or were purchased from the provincial museums of the former Soviet republics (although this practice was banned), or were confiscated and hidden for half a century by the former KGB, despite the fact that experts say that there have been no reported cases of appearance of avant-garde works from the KGB.
Nagel Auction House in Stuttgart (Germany), for instance, the Russian bid April 26, 2007 proposed six paintings from the collection of the late Baron Cianci Villardita (Baron Ciancio Villardita) - collection, unknown to experts of Russian art. According to the auction catalog, Baron bought the work of Nathan Altman, David Burliuk, Natalia Goncharova, Ivan Cluny, Boris Kustodiev and Hope Udaltsova a member of the Italian Communist Party in the 60's and early 70-ies. This member of the party, according to the catalog, I bought canvases Altman in a Soviet official in 1938 when the Soviet Union was shocked by the bloody purges of Stalin and the Western Communists, officials of the Communist International, or Comintern, lived in fear for their lives. All foreigners in Moscow were under surveillance, and, according to experts, it would be a feat at that time to acquire prohibited work "formalists".
The only information available to the auction house of Baron Ciancio Villardita, is the fact that he died in the 90's. Was it the same Baron Ciancio Villardita, who is mentioned in the testimony of Antonio Calderone (Antonino Calderone), a subordinate group of the Sicilian Cosa Nostra, who flew to France in 1983 and cooperated with the authorities? According to Calderone, Ciancio Villardita was a fake aristocrat, who worked as a secretary for membership in the Italian Parliament, collecting money from the Sicilian Mafia for the Christian Democratic Party.
Another group of seven works of significant artists who were represented at the same auction, there were, according to the catalog, from the collection of Joseph Keksmara (Józef Kecsmár) and Dzhenos Keksmara (Janos Kecsmár) in Budapest. Budapest - a small town, where people are rotating in the art world, know everything about each other's activities, but several members of the Hungarian art circles, including Tamas Kiselbaha (Tamás Kieselbach,) a leading art dealer and owner of auction house Kieselbach, told ARTnews, that they never heard about the collection Keksmara.
A large number of Russian works of 19 century and the avant-garde, which revolved in European auction houses, have received a certificate from the Russian art historians or institutions. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia's leading state museums and repositories, including the Tretyakov Gallery and restoration center it. Grabar, came into this business, and engaged in issuing certificates of authenticity.
Nevertheless, in 2004, landscape, declared as a masterpiece of the famous Ivan Shishkin (1832-98) was offered at Sotheby's auction in London estimate: 700 thousand pounds (1.28 million dollars) in order to expose him to the work of Dutch artist Marinus Kukkuka (Marinus Koekkoek). Canvas was purchased from an auction house Bukowskis in Stockholm a year ago for 56 thousand dollars, slightly redrawn, with the signature Shishkina, and the certificate examination department of the Tretyakov Gallery. The work was withdrawn from the auction the day before the auction.
In Moscow in 2005 were arrested two art dealer Tatiana and Igor Preobrazhensky for sale "Russified" pictures (they were found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment). It is known that sold hundreds of paintings and that the Tretyakov Gallery, Restoration Center them. Grabar and other institutions were given to most of them certificates of authenticity.

See more detail:
http://forum.artinvestment.ru/showth...??????????????
http://forum.artinvestment.ru/showthread.php?t=3355

  After an internal investigation Tretyakovka found that among 212 "Russified" paintings dealt with in the examination department of the museum, 116 were found false and 96 were incorrectly identified genuine. In 2006, Russia's Ministry of Culture has banned the institutions issuing certificates for works of art. But European auction houses have continued to sell the paintings with the certificate of the Tretyakov Gallery and other Russian institutions.
Many prominent art historians, who began their careers as academic scientists confirm the authenticity of works of Russian avant-garde. According Shatskih, and many others, those who issue a certificate of authenticity, argue that collect, catalog and reasonable and promised to include this work in a future publication, which gives considerable weight to their certificates, which in turn are rarely contain specific information about the origin of the work or a detailed comparative analysis with other similar works of the artist.

In this article, it seems that all Russian experts are scams. This, of course, is not so. When Russia Confederation of antique and art dealers created a council of experts, in this council were chosen by secret ballot, experts have never noticed in unprofessional or engagement. And these experts, in fact, you can trust.

Another mechanism, according Shatskikh is a reproduction of the controversial works in academic books. "This practice is related to the cleaning of counterfeiting at trade shows. Works that cast doubt, appear in exhibition catalogs produced significant museums, and sometimes even appear on the cover.
Given the number of fakes and rare availability of documentation, buyers, according to experts, should be careful. Ebenezer said that buys works only with "100%provenance and if the sellers say they can not identify the origin of the work, I refuse to even discuss it." If work does not have "iron provenance or not to reproduce, and has not participated in the exhibitions during the artist's life," Aven not touch her.

This is probably overkill. Such an approach is valid for large, the 'software' things like this pile of masterpieces Exter, flooded the market over the past couple of years, but still there are sketches, sketches, graphics, and among these "small things" can sometimes find real gems.


Rosenfeld confirms the fears of this kind. Good provenance, - she says - means that can be traced in connection with the works of the artist or artist's family. The work was "published in the old catalog, the new is not too reliable, and there is documentary evidence, for example, picture of the artist against the background of this work. And the combination of all of the evidence, whether family, early documents or exhibits during the artist's life is of great importance. This is a strong documentary evidence that the work existed in the artist's life.
Well-known art historian in Kiev, Dmitry Gorbachev dealing with expertise in the Ukrainian and Russian modernism, has created a web-site which publishes its findings on attribution (www.keytoart.org.ua). In 2006, he organized an exhibition entitled "Crossroads: Modernism in Ukraine, 1910-1930" at the Cultural Center of Chicago and the Ukrainian Museum in New York.
Among the works attributed Gorbachev as the original, "Supremacist composition", attributed to Kazimir Malevich. Work exhibited at the "Crossroads". She never reproduced during the life of the artist, and is not accompanied by documentary evidence. According to the technical analysis of the work was written in oil and tempera. Malevich experts say they do not know a single case of distemper in Suprematist Malevich painting (he used it for fresco painting). But the picture of the work published on the web-site of Gorbachev in the category "to attribute a work of art" with the comment "I certify that this work, written confidently and skillfully, is a real work of Malevich."
A large number of unknown works Exter with unclear origin appeared on the art market over the past few years. Many have been with the certificate or Shovlena George Kovalenko from the State Institute of History of Art in Moscow.
See the branch of "Russian week in London, on the fifth page of the message number 48. In April 2007, Kovalenko and Gorbachev took part in the conference" Ukrainian Modernism in Context, 1910-1930 ", organized by the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University. They engaged in a heated argument over a picture of Exter, who exhibited at the "Crossroads" and according to the catalog is from a private collection in Kirovograd (Ukraine). Kovalenko told the audience that had never seen this work before. After that, Gorbachev argued that Kovalenko told him that he went to Amsterdam to look at this work and issued a certificate of authenticity prior to its sale to a private collector in Ukraine. Kovalenko changed his mind and said that he had seen this work in reproduction.
Moscow art historian Svetlana Jafarova, which attributed a lot of avant-garde works, was recently accused Avenue in the Moscow newspaper Kommersant, in the attribution of intentional falsification. Aven told ARTnews, that in the early 90's he bought Still Life with a certificate Altman Jafarova. Work exhibited in 1995-96 at the exhibition "Berlin-Moscow /Moscow-Berlin 1900-1950". However, when he was about to publish a catalog of his collection, Aven said that he decided to analyze all of their work. Laboratory studies have shown that the still life, still life attributed as Altman was written in the 90th.
"When Jafarova offered me the job, she said she knew of any collection of this work, but she insisted that he could not disclose", - said Aven ARTnews.
"It's a lie!" - Said the anniversary. She said she did not sell anything Avenue. "I worked with Aven during the exhibition Moscow-Berlin in 1995-96. At that time he exhibited still life of Nathan Altman, who has acquired. Besides, I can assure you that the original still life "- she said.

Jafarova good place to start: she wrote a book about Lentulov, and was considered a specialist number 1 in the world for this author. In the late 90's to Russia, an influx of large, previously unknown oil Lentulova with a positive examination Jafarova. Since then, among collectors for her friendly attitude.

Aven and others condemned the fact that many Russia experts involved in the sale of works, which they attributed. Shatskikh called the situation "tragic". "Unfortunately, - she said - not only art historians were not able to cope with the creators of fakes, but also became their accomplices". She explained that described the situation in general, anyone not specifically pointing.
Shovlen said: "Kovalenko, my Moscow colleagues, as well as an expert in Exter, asks five thousand euros per certificate. That is his right. But if you do not want to pay five thousand euros, you have no chance of that work will be recognized as genuine. Kovalenko refused to talk to ARTnews. Shovlen and Kovalenko together to produce a catalog-reason Exter.
http://forum.artinvestment.ru/showthread.php?t=3355
In 2007 formed a new organization of experts to confirm the authenticity of works of Russian avant-garde. Named by the International Chamber of Russian modernism (International Chamber of Russian Modernism, or InCoRM, www.incorm.eu) and based in Paris, the group consists of more than a dozen experts from Western Europe and Russia, including Shovlen, Jafarova, Kovalenko, French art Filatov Nadia (Nadia Filatoff) and German art Ariana M. Hofshtetter (Ariane M. Hofstetter). President of the organization elected a British art historian Patricia railings (Patricia Railing). Sayag resident of Paris, Jacques (Jacques Sayag) was a member of the group, but left the post after interviews with ARTnews.
ARTnews interviewed Shovlena in his art-filled apartment in Paris near the Opera House. At the meeting, he asked, did the interviewer that he is known among his colleagues as "an accurate eye. Former ballet dancer who studied with Russian teachers, Shovlen became an art dealer and expert generalists on Russian avant-garde art. "I hope that the new organization will be able to change the situation, - he said - because the situation has become intolerable."

I met Shovlenom 10 years ago, I recommended it as a major art dealer of Russian avant-garde, while he still was not today's reputation. He gave me a delicious little restaurant, and Bouillabaisse wonderful wine, and then led, razomlevshego, in his apartment. From hung on the walls of the treasures I choked in my craw, is still surprised that I had the sense not to start grabbing everything in sight. Apparently, to stop what he saw theatrical costume Popova, exactly as seen two hours ago Gallery Zlotovskogo. By the way, it soon became clear that they had this production was put on the conveyor.
Former general secretary of the organization Sayag said that "a group of experts who met and decided to work together, because before the creation of InCoRM each worked in his corner, and we had a lot of contradictory information." Sayag called the Russian art market is contaminated. "Today, when you talk about the Russian Avant-garde with collectors or even just with art lovers, it seems as if you offer them cocaine."
"Of course, the experts will get money for their work - said the organization Sayag InCoRM. "If you have a picture, you need to become a member of the organization, and only after that you can show their work to the experts. We are talking about expertise, not to establish authenticity. Experts InCoRM will express opinions, whether positive or negative, only if the four experts agree. The decision shall be in written form.
This method of collective expertise was demonstrated at the auctions of auction house Nagel April 26, 2007, where they were a work of art Ciancio Villardita. According to staff Sayaga Nagel «learned that we have organized InCoRM, and they needed the names of experts. Most lots were examined and attributed InCoRM members both collectively and individually. Of the 55 proposed lots 14 were confirmed Shovlena, Filatova, Hofshtetter and Sayaga. Artists Altman, Ivan Bilibin, Ilya Chashniky Udaltsova and represented a wide range of styles and schools.
Hofshtetter responsible for communications in InCoRM, works for the auction house Nagel and some German art galleries. In the email she described her work as "historical and art critical consultations". She holds an MA in art history, writing a dissertation on French medieval manuscripts, but, she wrote, "takes several years Russian avant-garde" and is currently working on his doctoral dissertation on Ivan Puni in the Berlin University. Humboldt.
Hofshtetter explained in an email that she Filatov and Sayag studied extensively for bidding Nagel on April 26. "As a team we have carefully studied those works and later made detailed art history records, consisting of: 1. Research material and technology through a visual narrative method. 2. Stylistic analysis of the comparative method. 3. History and art criticism classification. 4. Conclusion. Hofshtetter wanted to emphasize that "those records have nothing to do with the so-called photo-examination, in terms of evaluation of works of art in photography. She also added that they were not interested, and could not affect: "the fact that the reports made for the auction house Nagel, were filed in the auction catalog as a photo-examination."
A former bookseller Sayag has repeatedly said that he was not an expert on the art and can not distinguish the fake from the original. He said that he never gave out certificates auction house Nagel. "They showed me pictures and said" that's certificates of people who have seen these works. What do you think about the painting? "I wrote that, if the work is attributed Popova, I do not think that this is not Popova. I was not authenticated ", - said Sayag.
The representative of the auction house Nagel Beate Kocher-Benzing said that "we do not have any contact with Mr. Sayagom. "His name might get into the catalog through the expertise provided by the shipper", - she added. But certificates, written and signed Sayagom for Nagel, which had been received ARTnews, really showed the genuineness of special works of art, the only only that there is no evidence of other people about the authenticity of works.
One of the bids was the spatial structure, attributed Popova Shovlenom. This work is very similar to the famous painting in the Tretyakov Gallery design with a white crescent, except that the form in the picture Nagel, it seems, are upside down and the second a crescent moon appears at the bottom of the composition. Picture from the Tretyakov Gallery was mistakenly printed upside down in the catalog for the exhibition Popova in Moscow in 1990. Job Nagel for sale.
At the tender Nagel also had three watercolors attributed to the architect Yakov Chernikov and originating from the family collection, Igor Borisovich in St. Petersburg (lots 640-642). Neither one of them was a reserve. All were attributed Shovlenom. But Andrey Chernikov, grandson of the architect, an expert on his work and a recognized authority firmly rejected all three works. "They have nothing to do with Yakov Chernikov," - he said.

The expert, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the incredibly large number of hitherto unknown works have appeared at the auctions were very similar to the well-known work. Portrait photographer Miron Sherling (Miron Sherling), attributed to Yuri Annenkov Shovlenom, Sayagom and Hofshtetter (Lot 605), is the "option" well-known work in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, according to the directory in which are illustrated by these two works. The work was sold for € 200 000 ($ 272 000). Other works are also "twins", but in the directory are not listed. Two works attributed Shovlenom Altman Still Life (Lot 609) and Logan, a revolutionary (Lot 610) is also very similar to scenes from the Russian Museum. They were sold for € 150 000 ($ 204 000) and € 80 000 ($ 108 000), respectively. One of the paintings from the collection Villardita Still Life at the round table (lot 635), attributed Udaltsova four experts strikingly similar to the work of the artist's Blue Pitcher (1915) in the Tretyakov Gallery. He reached € 110 000 ($ 149 000). Still Life with Lobster (Lot 646), attributed Larionov Shovlenom and Antonia Parton (Anthony Parton) looks almost like a river Still Life with cancer Larionov (ca. 1910-12), which is located in the Museum Ludwig in Cologne. He was sold for € 150 000 ($ 204 000).