Whiteley on Trial
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4.3 • 3 Ratings
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- $17.99
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
It was a cause célèbre: the biggest case of alleged art fraud to come before the Australian criminal justice system, a $4.5 million sting drawing in one of the country's most gifted and ultimately tragic artists, Brett Whiteley, a heroin addict who died alone in 1992.
It started with suspicions raised about artworks being produced in the style of Whiteley in a Melbourne art restorer's studio. Secret photographs were taken as the paintings took form.
A jury finds two men guilty of faking Whiteleys, but a year later the appeal bench sensationally acquits them. The paintings are returned to their owners, leaving the legitimacy of the artworks in limbo.
Whiteley on Trial investigates this remarkable case and exposes the avarice of the art world, the disdain for connoisseurship and the fragility of authenticity.
Customer Reviews
An intriguing read about the art world
Gabriella plunges the reader into the underground world of art dealings and exposes a criminal world that is hardly ever explored. She writes with passion and integrity, allowing readers to draw their on conclusions. Her ability to write with humour and to navigate the legal world with prose that concise and comprehensive make Whitely on Trail a thoroughly enjoyable and fascinating read. Highly recommend.