Who Verifies the Authenticity of Exhibited Objects?
It is generally assumed that if a work is selected for an exhibition and included in the catalog, it is deemed authentic by experts. Many rely on the idea that published works are automatically genuine, but recent controversies prove otherwise.
Following the Modigliani scandal in Genoa, a new case has emerged: the “Lex, Justice, and Law from Etruria to Rome” exhibition at Rome’s Ara Pacis in May 2023. The exhibition, meant to explore justice in antiquity, included both authentic artifacts and replicas. However, after it closed in September 2023, suspicions arose regarding the authenticity of some objects.
Investigations revealed that three supposed originals were actually fakes. A collector who supplied artifacts for the exhibition is now under scrutiny. Although strict documentation is required for loaned items—especially from private collections, which must prove legal ownership and provenance—the fake artifacts allegedly came from an online marketplace.
This raises pressing questions:
- Who introduced these items into the market?
- What documents were provided to certify their authenticity?
- Did the curator, an archaeologist, fail to verify their legitimacy?
As specialists in forensic archaeology and cultural heritage crimes, we train professionals to rigorously examine artifacts’ history and conservation status. Authenticity is crucial—not just for exhibitions but for preserving historical integrity and public trust in cultural institutions.
This case is still unfolding, but it underscores a serious issue: the damage caused by illicitly obtained or counterfeit artifacts. Such fraud distorts history, undermines culture, and erodes trust in the art market—a true disaster.
