Entertainment
Drawing valued at a whopping £100,000 after smell reveals it’s real Modigliani-Ruth Lawes-Entertainment – Metro
What a revelation.
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An art expert performed an unorthodox test on a sketch to determine if it was a creation by famous artist Modigliani in Fake or Fortune?.
Presented by Fiona Bruce and Philip Mould, the BBC series sees the origins of mysterious artworks uncovered to find out if they are rare or expensive masterpieces.
In Tuesday’s episode, the Question Time presenter and art dealer investigated a drawing by one of the most forged artists in history, Modigliani, with it worth £100,000 if it was proved authentic or £100 if deemed fake.
Exploring the drawing’s history took the team to Paris and London where it was forensically examined by Doctor Kenneth Wayne.
However, Doctor Wayne, who is president of The Modigliani Project, had a more unusual way of working out whether it was genuine.
The expert has developed unique ‘smell test,’ where he can tell if it ponged at the ‘time it was created’, with the suspected Modigliani passing with flying colours and worth thousands of pounds.
For owner Henrietta Sitwell it was an emotional opportunity to connect more with her late grandfather, who had met Modigliani in the 1920s in Paris.
Fiona and Philip present Fake or Fortune? (Picture: BBC)
After the valuation, Henrietta said: ‘It’s been such a privilege and joy to work with the Fake or Fortune team who have amazed me throughout the filming process with their incredible depth of research producing exciting surprises along the way.
‘Whilst it’s obviously a brilliant result, it’s the renewed connection to my late grandfather, through this beautiful and delicate drawing, that I’m particularly touched by and grateful for.’
Philip and Fiona get to the bottom of paintings (Picture: PA)
Philip, 62, revealed that there was also a possibility that the subject in the drawing is the same as Modigliani’s famous ‘Little girl with plaits’ oil painting from 1918.
He concluded: ‘The name Modigliani is a magic one to collectors across the world and it is wonderful to have helped christen a new and unknown work by him. As a Modigliani rediscovery, it is all the more emotive given that it passed through the hands of two people who knew him, and helped establish his legendary legacy.’
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Last week on Fake or Fortune? a couple were thrilled to discover a painting worth £100,000 on their bedroom wall.
Julie and Ian had nearly binned the artwork several times, while their toddler had attempted to scribble over it.
Fake or Fortune? continues on BBC One and Player on Tuesday.
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