According to the blurb of a recent book Denis Dutton (February 9, 1944 to December 28, 2010) was "the founder and editor of the hugely popular Web site "Arts & Letters Daily," named by the "Guardian" as the best Web site in the world. He also founded ... the journal "Philosophy and Literature," and ...[was] a professor of the philosophy of art at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand."
...Hebborn was repainting large areas of old works, cleverly "improving" them. An insignificant landscape became, with the additon of a balloon in its gray sky, an important (and expensive) painting documenting the early history of aviation. As Hebborn wrote, "adding a cat to the foreground guaranteed the sale of the dullest landscape.." Such "improved" pictures went straight into gold frames and the plush surroundings of a dealer gallery...
...This charming rogue died from a hammer blow to the back of his skull received in a dark alley in Rome in 1996. Police were never able to make an arrest for the murder.
The recent book is The art instinct: beauty, pleasure, & human evolution
(2009) Here Dutton says, in discussing the beginning of Eric Hebborn's career as an art forger in the 1950s:
(2009) Here Dutton says, in discussing the beginning of Eric Hebborn's career as an art forger in the 1950s:...Hebborn was repainting large areas of old works, cleverly "improving" them. An insignificant landscape became, with the additon of a balloon in its gray sky, an important (and expensive) painting documenting the early history of aviation. As Hebborn wrote, "adding a cat to the foreground guaranteed the sale of the dullest landscape.." Such "improved" pictures went straight into gold frames and the plush surroundings of a dealer gallery...
...This charming rogue died from a hammer blow to the back of his skull received in a dark alley in Rome in 1996. Police were never able to make an arrest for the murder.
It is Dutton's assessment that because of the enormous artistic talent of Hebborn, (as opposed to many forgers) the complete identification of his forgeries will probably never be accomplished, and thereby weeded out of the museums and private collection where they still reside.
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