Art, Authenticity and the Law in a High-Stakes Market

In a high-value art market, where authenticity is highly prized but skilful forgeries abound, the process of authentication can seem perilous. In recent years, the application of the traditional ‘three-legged stool’ of authentication – a balance of connoisseurship, provenance research and scientific analysis – has shifted as increasingly sophisticated technical tools enter the arena and experts fear the risk of litigation. In parallel, authorship and originality are being challenged by ‘non-human’ artistic creation using AI and other technologies. Drawing on a range of fascinating legal case studies, this book explores what we can learn from the law about the care required from art-market professionals and experts over attributions, and how the law and the market are evolving to meet new authentication challenges.