TROIANI STRIKES AGAIN!

[garyjd]

Here's an amusing gee wiz sort of thing. A website/forum for Civil War reenactors I belong to had a thread concerning a huge auction of Civil War relics from a private collection. Among the lots was this painting said to have been done around the turn of the century depicting Texas soldiers in the cornfield at Antietam. The minute I saw this thing I smelled a rat. What was amazing was it bore an uncanny resemblance to a painting by Don Troiani called "Lonestar". Here is the posting Mr. Troiani has on the website courtesey of a fellow member.

"Mark, I saw the authentic campaigner forum on the subject. Would you mind posting this comment from me?

The painting at the James Julia Auction is [an] Asian Mall art store knockoff of my painting "Lonestar." These dreadful copies show up from time to time and are copied from pictures in my books. It is five or six years old. I have told the auctioneers to remove it from the sale and have contacted my attorney (a copyright infringement) regarding action if they do not. The dating of it from about 1900 is completely bogus nonsense."


I'm very surprised the auction house selling this lot has let this slip under the radar considering they have at least one top named expert verifying the authenticity and value of the items. Here's the picture decide for yourself. I'm sure the item will be removed and promptly (hopefully) thrown onto a garbage heap where it belongs.~Gary

 

[Jason W.]

Whoa! Would this not be the worst type of copyright infringement? Did it say who the painter is? Whats amazing is that this person, who looks to have a little talent with a brush, would do such a project in the first place. All the while knowing this was ...Wrong!

Every once in awhile you'll see modern Civil War painters "hacking" at Mr. T's paintings. Such as figures and whole vignettes from Troiani's paintings incorporated into their feeble attempts on canvas.

This is all a shame. However it does show what a powerhouse Troiani is when it comes to originality and authenticity.

Jason

 

[Guayo]

In this modern world is amazing to see a stupid moves like this one, with all the posibilities of great ideas for a Painting, they only have to copy a classic of Troiani, what a shame for the painter and the auctioner(who is going to pay his share for the small mistake)if someone want to copy a painting of Don Troiani you would only have to wait seventy years after the dead of the author, that would be like just 150 years ¡¡¡¡¡ je je je je je :lol:

Saludos
Eduardo Tellez

 

[Jimmy S]

I was in Saigon about 5 years ago and they have street artists doing just this for about $30 US. Just give them a photo, come back next afternoon and it is done. OK if for your own use but not for profit. (I didn't get one BTW)

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by garyjd+Sep 25 2005, 01:13 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (garyjd @ Sep 25 2005, 01:13 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>I'm very surprised the auction house selling this lot has let this slip under the radar considering they have at least one top named expert verifying the authenticity and value of the items. [/b]

I would have been too Gary until I found out recently that most auction-house experts give only cursory examination to the lots - it's not uncommon for example for drawings, prints and even paintings to be authenticated from a slide image only!! If anyone wanted a concrete reason that so many forgeries permeate the art world...

In this case I'm truly flabbergasted as anyone with a decent knowledge of painting should be able to tell that this is not from 1900 (and a single test on the white of the flag would prove it, even if the canvas itself were not a complete giveaway) so I have to wonder if the deception was not accidental.

I didn't agree that the suit against Warriors was justified but in this case he's completely in the right and I'm with him.

<!--QuoteBegin-garyjd@Sep 25 2005, 01:13 PM
I'm sure the item will be removed and promptly (hopefully) thrown onto a garbage heap where it belongs.~Gary[/quote]Here's hoping!

Einion