Salvador Dalí's Illusory Legacy in the Battle Against Counterfeit Art

2023

In the realm of art, the battle against counterfeit masterpieces rages on. Recently, a client from Alabama sought the expertise of Bernard Ewell to appraise a work purportedly by the renowned surrealist Salvador Dalí. The artwork in question, titled "Lincoln in Dalívision," featured a mosaic print of Dalí's wife, Gala, cleverly resembling the face of Abraham Lincoln when viewed from a distance. Unfortunately, Ewell revealed the bitter truth: the print was nothing but a fake, created as part of a series produced by two brothers from Alabama. Even the signature was a fabrication.

This incident is just one example of the ongoing predicament faced by collectors and appraisers alike in the world of Dalí art. Despite Dalí's passing over three decades ago, the prevalence of fake reproductions continues to plague the market. During the 1980s art investment boom, countless counterfeit Dalí artworks flooded circulation, resulting in fraudulent sales amounting to millions, if not billions, of dollars.

The consequences of this fraud were severe. Unscrupulous dealers and gallery owners faced legal repercussions, the value of authentic Dalí works plummeted, and unsuspecting art collectors discovered the worthlessness of their prized possessions.

Dalí's popularity and prolific output made him an attractive target for counterfeiters. His recognizable persona and extensive body of work, including prints, lithographs, and etchings, provided ample opportunities for the fabrication and sale of fake reproductions. Dalí's inner circle, including his wife Gala, even capitalized on the growing demand by producing prints bearing Dalí's signature.

Authenticating Dalí artworks became a daunting task due to the limited nature of prints and Dalí's inconsistent approach to signing them. The lack of expertise among sellers, coupled with the trust placed in certificates of authenticity and Dalí's signature, allowed the fraudulent sales to persist. Even reputable institutions like Christie's refrained from selling Dalí limited-edition prints due to doubts surrounding their authenticity.

However, amidst the chaos, appraiser Bernard Ewell emerged as a beacon of hope. Through meticulous study of texture, ink, and watermarks on Dalí prints, he became adept at identifying fakes. Ewell's expertise played a crucial role in the prosecution of fraudulent sellers, including the conviction of William Mett, who sold millions of dollars' worth of fake Dalí artworks.

Nevertheless, the market remains ensnared in uncertainty, with genuine Dalí prints suffering a decline in value due to the prevalence of fakes. Collectors and experts must remain vigilant in their quest for authentic works from the surrealist master.

In this ongoing battle against counterfeits, the legacy of Salvador Dalí lives on, tangled in a web of deception, as art enthusiasts navigate the treacherous terrain in pursuit of true artistic treasures.