What are the most contested paintings out there?

November 11, 2010 8:13 AM

Based on authenticity, what are the most contested paintings in museums today?

I'm currently reading a book about forgeries and oil paintings, and I was wondering if anyone had a list of some of the most famous paintings which experts still cannot agree on their authenticity or not.

Thanks for any help. Feel free to add a short explanation of a painting if it's super interesting (please keep in mind though that I'm curious about paintings where its provenance/authenticity is in doubt, and not genuine forgeries).

posted by fantasticninety to Grab Bag (6 answers total)

The Polish Rider by "Rembrandt".
posted by Joe Beese at 8:16 AM on November 11, 2010

Wikipedia has a rather short list
posted by rakish_yet_centered at 8:26 AM on November 11, 2010

The film Who the #$&% Is Jackson Pollock? is about contested authenticity.
posted by sexymofo at 8:38 AM on November 11, 2010

*Adds "genuine forgeries" to oxymoron collection*

The Rembrandt Research Project
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 8:40 AM on November 11, 2010

Response by poster: Here's another:

Saint Praxedis.
posted by fantasticninety at 4:35 PM on November 11, 2010

Best answer: Hmm..this is one of my wife's hobbies. After talking with her I am pretty sure about 1/4 of the paintings in any gallery are badly attributed.

Further Reading:
My wife's post on the painter Catena
Anything about Bernard Berenson
posted by vacapinta at 7:37 AM on November 17, 2010