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The Art of Forgery, Revised and Expanded Edition
Master Forgers from the Renaissance to the Age of AI
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Description
What motivates an art forger? How easy are they to catch? And to what extent have AI and other technologies changed how we approach matters of authenticity, derivation and forgery?
In The Art of Forgery Noah Charney, celebrated art historian and the world's foremost art-crime specialist, explores the stories behind the most famous art forgeries in the world. Chronicling the adventures and misadventures of master forgers throughout history, the book examines how and why these artful tricksters – often ingenious, skilful, quirky and charming – succeeded in deceiving the art world and how they were eventually caught, through shrewd detective work, scientific examination or a good measure of luck.
Illustrated in colour throughout, this new revised and expanded edition takes in recent developments in the realm of art and authenticity from NFTs (content, including artwork, in the form of digital files the ownership of which is written into the blockchain) to the rise of AI, with its ability to create, on command, unique new digital images of superlative quality, prompting questions about authorship, originality, and more.
Accessibility Information
Additional accessibility information
- PDF/UA-2, 1.4
- accessibility@bloomsbury.com
Hazards
The publication contains no hazards
Support for non-visual reading
Has alternative text descriptions for images
Navigation
- Page list to go to pages from the print source version
- Elements such as headings, tables, etc for structured navigation
- All or substantially all textual matter is arranged in a single logical reading order
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Introduction: the World Wishes to Be Deceived…
1. Genius
2. Ego
3. Revenge
4. Fame
5. Crime
6. The Con
7. Money
8. Power
9. Digital Power
Conclusion: ...So Let it Be Deceived
Appendix and Glossary
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Image Credits
Index
Product details
| Published | 17 Sep 2026 |
|---|---|
| Format | Ebook (PDF) |
| Edition | 1st |
| Pages | 280 |
| ISBN | 9781350545144 |
| Imprint | Bloomsbury Visual Arts |
| Illustrations | 38 colour illus |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
About the contributors
Reviews
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Excellent... Beautifully written and illustrated.
Tatler (of the first edition)
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A rattling good read.
The Art Newspaper online (of the first edition)
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[Charney's] book about forgers makes the allure of their dark trade feel irresistible.
Washington Post (of the first edition)
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A serious subject described in vastly enjoyable fashion with implications both subtle and obvious, about serious issues... A romp of a read.
Art Quarterly (of the first edition)
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Charney truly hits stride when describing the forgers... As the world of forgery is infinitely colorful.
Bloomberg (of the first edition)
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A beautifully written and rigorously researched journey into the hidden world of master forgers. Through their daring exploits and complex motivations, Noah Charney reveals how deception has evolved across history. Fully attuned to our times, it also introduces readers to recent advances in scientific techniques of examination and authentication, alongside the transformative impact of artificial intelligence and the digital world, where the boundaries between authenticity and illusion are increasingly blurred.
Jehane Ragai, author of The Scientist and the Forger

























