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Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Fake or Fortune? Tom Roberts

I love this BBC program, particularly when they delve deep into scientific research and provenance.  
Obviously some of the episodes are far much better and interesting than others. Mostly, I enjoy the story behind the paintings. 

However, it often shows the ugliest aspects of art market. Buying and selling artworks just as commodities. And who decides the work is genuine or not?

This is the first time the series focused on Australian artist. So, I was looking forward to it. 

Unfortunately I was disappointed. This one is probably the weakest presentation I’ve ever seen. The owner’s rather tragic circumstances aside, it doesn’t say much about this painting. And final ‘verdict’ came from only one scholar. Without any paper trail, mind you. 

Apparently the painting is now on sale. I wish the owner’s family a good luck. But, who is going to buy it when only one ‘expert’ is saying this is Tom Roberts? 
Someday, it is hoped we know far much more about this painting. 

I’ve found the following comment in the show by Philip Mould is profoundly interesting. 

“Roberts composed this painting in 1891, only a decade before Australia became an independent country.”

Falsely implying Australia became independent in 1901. Or did it, actually? Well, most textbooks say so. However, what does it really mean ‘independent’?


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