Between scholar forgers and forgery experts: science holds the final verdict
In recent weeks, a sensational case has returned to the spotlight: the alleged fake Basquiats exhibited at the Orlando Museum of Art, also known as the “Orlando Case.”
Media attention has reignited following the recent passing of the museum’s former director, Aaron De Groft, who in 2022 had firmly defended the authenticity of the works displayed in the exhibition he himself curated.
It all began in 2012, when several paintings, strikingly similar in style and technique to those of Jean-Michel Basquiat, appeared for sale on eBay. The auctioneer, Michael Barzman, claimed to have found them in an abandoned storage unit, which he had acquired after the previous owner failed to pay rent.
The extreme similarity to Basquiat’s works attracted the attention of collectors eager to get their hands on a supposed undiscovered piece—especially considering the skyrocketing value of Basquiat’s art. In 2003, his works were valued at around $400,000, whereas in 2013, one of his pieces was auctioned at Christie’s for a staggering $49 million.
The new buyers subjected the paintings to in-depth evaluations, including forensic handwriting analysis, historical-artistic studies, and expert assessments on Basquiat’s work. These assessments even secured authentication from the official Authentication Committee, the entity responsible for certifying Basquiat’s artworks.
Some experts went so far as to claim that these works even surpassed in quality other pieces already included in the artist’s Catalogue Raisonné.
But here lies the first major issue: the Authentication Committee suddenly shut down in early 2013, likely due to legal disputes concerning controversial assessments.
Fast forward to 2022, when 25 of these paintings were exhibited at the Orlando Museum of Art. De Groft presented the exhibition as a once-in-a-lifetime event, declaring: “The fact that these masterpieces have remained intact for thirty years is a wonderful miracle for all of us.”
But the dream was short-lived. Just a few months after the exhibition opened, the FBI seized the paintings, declaring them counterfeit, and the museum promptly fired De Groft.
Last spring, Michael Barzman confessed: he and a friend had forged most of the paintings. However, De Groft and several collectors refused to accept this. The dismissed director maintained that Barzman lacked the skill to produce such high-quality forgeries. This conviction led to a legal battle between the museum and its former director—one that ultimately came to an end only due to De Groft’s recent passing.
This case raises crucial questions: Are there still undiscovered authentic Basquiats? What tools can truly guarantee their authenticity? And how many forgeries continue to circulate in the art market?
The authentication of contemporary artworks is a complex challenge, especially (but not exclusively) when the artist is no longer alive. The lack of universally established criteria and the increasing presence of forgeries make it necessary to adopt a multidisciplinary approach, involving art historians, specialized technicians, and scientific analysis.
For an artist as recent as Basquiat, building a reliable database of verified works will be crucial, serving as a reference for future attributions.
Currently, in the world of contemporary art—perhaps even more so than in the case of ancient art—authenticity is primarily certified by experts from specialized foundations.
Our laboratory proposes an advanced authentication protocol based on scientific analyses designed to detect anachronisms.
The methodology involves an initial study of the work’s conservation status, with direct observation using magnifying lenses and digital microscopes. This is followed by multispectral imaging analysis to detect any inconsistencies in surface texture and painting techniques. Only after these steps is the chemical composition of the paint itself analyzed.
Jean-Michel Basquiat passed away on August 12, 1988, making this date an unbreakable threshold for determining authenticity. If chemical analysis reveals the presence of materials that only became available after that date, the artwork cannot be considered genuine.
Additionally, other key factors must be considered, such as execution technique and, of course, stylistic consistency.
Science continues to provide increasingly precise tools for uncovering forgeries, even in the case of contemporary artists. In the art market, where the value of a single piece can reach astronomical figures, technology has become an indispensable ally in preserving the integrity of the artistic legacy of geniuses like Basquiat.
