Mikhail Ivanovich TEREBENEV
1795–1866

Watercolor, 35x28 cm, motives "Gentleman a red waistcoat", signed, ostensibly picturing an authentic painting by the Russian artist Mikhail Ivanovich Terebenev. The painting was for sale in autumn 2009 in a small auction house in Stockholm. Estemated 15,000 SEK (approx. 1500 Euro). In the police questioning stated the seller that she purchased the painting in an antique shop, in 2007, in Tallinn, Estonia for 600-700 Euro, but the receipt is no longer there. That it was framed and that she not made any changes on the painting and that she acted in good faith regarding the painting's authenticity when she bought it. She had also earlier, in spring 2009, made an attempt to sell the painting. Then in a major auction house in Stockholm where it is cataloged as "Portrait of a Coachman in a red waistcoat," estemated price 50.000-60.000 SEK (approx. 5.000-6.000 Euro). The painting was withdrawn from sale after the auction house noted that it a few years earlier been for sale elsewhere in Europe. Then, without being signed. The auction house took no action, they returned the painting to the seller with no explanation why it was withdrawn from sale. The painting has been examined by several experts in Russian paintings which revealed that the painting is a watercolor of high quality but it is not performed by Mikhail Ivanovich Terebenev. Galleries and auction houses that have been in contact with the painting on earlier occasions, confirmed to police investigators that it was unsigned. Findings of the Court: The painting, a watercolor, Gentleman a red waistcoat is not performed by Mikhail Ivanovich Terebenev nor signed by him. The painting has got a new forged signature, and has thus become a forgery. The painting shall be forfeited.