My mother, the art forger

ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
edited November 23, 2004 in Holy Macro
My mother is a pretty good artist in her own right, but she is also an incincorrigible and unrepentant art forger. And it seems to be getting worse as she has really come into her golden years. Andy inspired me and I opened my eyes and looked around my house. This jumped out at me:

11641346-L.jpg

Janet Ruttenberg, Copy of Rene Magritte's Painted Mask.

She did this last year:

11641618-L.jpg

Janet Ruttenberg, Copy of Picasso's Portrait of Gertude Stein.

The fake Picasso is so good, I think it could be substituted in the Met and not noticed for a good long time. The fussing that went into the frame and canvas...

I've made her sign her own name and date on the back of these things. I don't think she can get into trouble for just making them.
If not now, when?

Comments

  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited November 21, 2004
    rutt wrote:
    My mother is a pretty good artist in her own right, but she is also an incincorrigible and unrepentant art forger. And it seems to be getting worse as she has really come into her golden years. Andy inspired me and I opened my eyes and looked around my house. This jumped out at me:

    11641346-L.jpg

    Janet Ruttenberg, Copy of Rene Magritte's Painted Mask.

    She did this last year:

    11641618-L.jpg

    Janet Ruttenberg, Copy of Picasso's Portrait of Gertude Stein.

    The fake Picasso is so good, I think it could be substituted in the Met and not noticed for a good long time. The fussing that went into the frame and canvas...

    I've made her sign her own name and date on the back of these things. I don't think she can get into trouble for just making them.
    These are fantastic! But It's not forging. To forge requires criminal intent to decieve. Now if she is signing the paintings with Picasso, that would be different.

    I would like to see some of her original work.

    Sam
  • NirNir Registered Users Posts: 1,400 Major grins
    edited November 22, 2004
    Amazing!
    __________________

    Nir Alon

    images of my thoughts
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited November 22, 2004
    Sam wrote:
    These are fantastic! But It's not forging. To forge requires criminal intent to decieve. Now if she is signing the paintings with Picasso, that would be different.

    I would like to see some of her original work.

    Sam
    11684641-M.jpg

    But they are signed with her own name on the back.

    Anyway, her own work. Here are a couple of relatively recent oil paintings:

    1741124-L.jpg

    This is a very large scale oil, I think the canvas itself is more than 7 feet wide.

    1741136-L.jpg

    This is a portrait of my father, painted 3 years ago. It's also large, maybe 4 feet high.

    1691007-L.jpg

    Her mother, my grandmother, at 100, circa 2001.

    1693739-L.jpg

    My grandmother in her 40s.

    1693596-L.jpg

    My mother is 72, but she has been an artist all her life. Here is a self portrait as a teenager:

    1689712-L.jpg

    I don't think my grandmother liked this portrait of herself very much, she put it in her bathroom. Then again, she spent a lot of time in there.

    1690184-L.jpg

    My grandfather who died in 1972.

    That's the best stuff I could find in my archive. I have some stuff around the house, but it's hard to shoot, drawings and prints under glass. My mother is a printmaker and makes color copper plate etchings. These take a huge amount of work, measured in years. I'll try to shoot some of these, but I'm going to need to invent a way to light them.
    If not now, when?
  • lynnmalynnma Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 5,207 Major grins
    edited November 22, 2004
    rutt wrote:

    But they are signed with her own name on the back.

    Anyway, her own work. Here are a couple of relatively recent oil paintings:



    This is a very large scale oil, I think the canvas itself is more than 7 feet wide.



    This is a portrait of my father, painted 3 years ago. It's also large, maybe 4 feet high.



    Her mother, my grandmother, at 100, circa 2001.



    My grandmother in her 40s.



    My mother is 72, but she has been an artist all her life. Here is a self portrait as a teenager:



    I don't think my grandmother liked this portrait of herself very much, she put it in her bathroom. Then again, she spent a lot of time in there.



    My grandfather who died in 1972.

    That's the best stuff I could find in my archive. I have some stuff around the house, but it's hard to shoot, drawings and prints under glass. My mother is a printmaker and makes color copper plate etchings. These take a huge amount of work, measured in years. I'll try to shoot some of these, but I'm going to need to invent a way to light them.
    Wow!!! what a talented lady!! Thanks for sharing Rutt.. is she still painting???
  • damonffdamonff Registered Users Posts: 1,894 Major grins
    edited November 22, 2004
    Really cool stuff. Take photos of all of it.
  • gubbsgubbs Registered Users Posts: 3,166 Major grins
    edited November 22, 2004
    Rutt, they're amazing!
  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited November 22, 2004
    Thanks
    Rutt,

    Thanks for taking the time to share these with us. Your mother is verry talented. clap.gif

    Sam
  • ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
    edited November 22, 2004
    Those are wonderful, Rutt, just wonderful! What a legacy.

    If you looked like your father, you also look just like your grandfather, don't you think?

    And, with your heritage, you are going to live forever. (I like the portrait of your grandmother, the one in her bathroom)

    ginger
    After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.
  • PerezDesignGroupPerezDesignGroup Registered Users Posts: 395 Major grins
    edited November 23, 2004
    Absolutely brilliant work! Have you tried using a polarizing filter to cut through all the glare in the glass?
    Canon Digital Rebel | Canon EOS 35mm | Yashica Electro GSN | Fed5B | Holga 35 MF

  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited November 23, 2004
    Absolutely brilliant work! Have you tried using a polarizing filter to cut through all the glare in the glass?
    That's a good idea. I'll give it a try.
    If not now, when?
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,694 moderator
    edited November 23, 2004
    1689712-M.jpg


    An unexpected self-portrait, John. A lovely story about your mother and her art - very interesting - she must be quite a lady!! Thnk you for sharing. thumb.gif
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited November 23, 2004
    Thanks for the story!

    Now I see where your skill comes from.

    Ian
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
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