Pablo PICASSO
1881–1973, Spain/France
Signatures & monograms
90 signatures and monograms by Pablo Picasso on ceramic, glass, drawing, graphic, print, painting and watercolour. Compare authentic and documented counterfeit examples to study signature characteristics.
Signature proven counterfeit
Lithography, figure composition, signed "Picasso", size approx 23x30 cm. Ostensibly picturing a genuine painting by artist Pablo Picasso. The painting was seized at an online auction house in Stockholm, Sweden in December 2014. The painting was for sale, and the submitter stated in the police interrogation that it was an inheritance following her deceased mother, and that she did not know where the mother bought the painting or how she had obtained the painting . Court decision: Examination and expert judgment showed that the painting was a forgery. The painting is forfeited.
Signature proven counterfeit
Oil on canvas, Composition with figures and animals, signed "Picasso 11.17.59", size 50,3 x39, 5 cm. The painting was seized during a search of the home of one of the police very famous impostor, called "Alaska". He attracted the attention of the Swedish TV program "Uppdrag Granskning" in autumn 2013 after the police done several major seizures of counterfeit Bengt Lindstrom paintings. The painting was sold by Alaska to a private person for 100,000 SEK (approx. 11,000 euros). Then it turned out that the painting had previously been the subject of police interest, and experts assessed the painting as non genuine withdrew Alaska the painting but never paid back the money he received. During the police investigation asserted Alaska that he received the painting from Bengt Lindström many years ago which can not be substantiated when Bengt Lindstrom passed away in 2008. The painting has been examined by several experts in France but also in Sweden where it became apparent that it is a forgery. The Court's decision was imprisonment for six months.
Signature proven counterfeit
Printed, motif with peace dove, printed, signed and dated -61, size 50x65 cm. The painting was seized by police at an online auction house. It turned out that this painting has been forged in an unknown edition based on the forger numbered all items with the same number! "547/1000". These prints are fakes. The court decided that the painting will be forfeited.
Signature proven counterfeit
Drawing, depicting a naked woman, 21x13,6 cm, signed Picasso 05.01.54. This drawing was submitted to a pawn shop in Stockholm in November 2007 by a private individual. Along with the artwork attached also a valuation certificate. It was supposed to be an original drawing by Pablo Picasso. The man received a pledge of SEK 30.000, which he would use to travel to England where he was going to sell more than 20 other Picasso drawings. When suspicions arose that the artwork was a forgery and not an original, summoned police. Both the artwork and valuation certificate was confiscated for further investigation, which revealed that valuation certificate concerned another of the 26 cartoons. Furthermore, the accused man filed documents that would prove that he obtained the drawings as payment from the art collector F.R. as compensation for the "magic performances" he performed at F.R's parties in Malmö. F.R. testified that he had not signed any such document. The drawing was investigated by the Moderna Museet in Stockholm. They stated that it was a forgery. It appeared then that it was a copy from a series of original drawings by Picasso (image of the model shown below). Besides the poor quality has counterfeiter replaced a winged cherub (angel) to a rabbit, which can be considered witty because the suspect allegedly worked as a magician. The district court's decision: The drawing has not been performed by Pablo Picasso nor signed by him. The suspected man was convicted of serious fraud.
Signature proven counterfeit
Counterfeit Picasso drawing. The original called "Etude de Tête de Femme a Main" and was painted by Picasso in 1905/06. This original drawing was owned by an art collector in Denmark. He submitted the drawing to an art dealer in Copenhagen for sale. After some time, notifies the art dealer that he can not find a buyer for the artwork and return it to the owner. The owner contacted the auction house Sotheby's to let them sell the artwork, but will immediately be alerted that an identical Picasso drawing is for sale at the auction house Christie's, as reflected in their latest catalog. It turned out, in the police investigation, that the art dealer had made a forgery of the artwork, returned the forgery to the owner and then tried to sell the original at Christie's. He had also, at the same time, tried to sell counterfeits of other famous artists such as he had stated was genuine. Many of these were forged in Barcelona in Spain during the late 80's or early 90's. Among others, several Chagall paintings. This Picasso forgery was skillfully done and the "business" had perhaps succeeded if not the two works of art was publicly for sale during the same period.
Signature proven counterfeit
Oil on canvas, still life, 46x55 cm. This painting, ostensibly, from the The Picasso is made in Spain. Probably made by the same forger in Barcelona who produced large quantities of counterfeit art in the 1980s. An art dealer had purchased the painting and later tried to sell it in Denmark for a price of 1,400.000 DK. The painting was seized by police in connection with the investigation of another fake The Picasso painting.
Signature proven counterfeit
Acrylic on cardboard. 56x38 cm, signed "Picasso" in the upper left corner and on the reverse "Picasso 3.2.54." Label on the back: mall Blu, Milan. Feature: Femme assise. The painting was bought in good faith by a Swedish financier. To this painting has no known specimens been found. The forger has tried to imitate Picasso type of subject, style, technique and color. The quality of the painting is not very high. It has been investigated by Swedish and international expertise. Photographs of this and other counterfeits have been sent to Picasso's art dealer Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler in Paris. In his opinion there was no doubt that the paintings were forgeries. The painting is part of a major fraud seizures of counterfeit art in Sweden known as ”The Society of Art Friends”: Three men, aged 30, 37, and 40 years old, were caught in Stockholm, Sweden after a reconnaissance tip from police in Ängelholm, Sweden. Shortly afterwards, another two men were caught. In total, 48 house searches were made through out the nation from which 83 forged paintings were confiscated. Forged art had already been sold for millions of Swedish crowns. Victims of the gang were well known businessmen with considerable incomes. League had good help from educated art experts who have written certificate of authenticity to many of the fake paintings, often at very small remuneration. On a door to a flat in Stockholm the men had displayed a sign with the text “The Society of Art Friends”.
Signature proven counterfeit
Oil painting on paper laid on board, signed "Picasso", 41x53 cm. Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler, Galerie Louise Leiris, Paris, one of the world's best experts on Picasso, has in a statement declared that he is convinced that this is not an authentic work by Picasso. The painting is a copy after a Picasso painting from 1932 or 1933. It is of poor quality and is produced by an amateur. The text on the back during sleep is a fake. The painting is made and signed at the same time – a so-called "authentic forgery". The district court's assessment: The painting is an original forgery and not painted or signed by Pablo Picasso.
Signature proven counterfeit
This painting was originally a lithographic works of art on board. Probably a poster which was then painted over with different colors, gouache and oil. There are some unprocessed portions of the painting, for example, the signature is not processed. The colors used are not of the same kind that Picasso used. The district court's assessment: The painting conveys a false impression of being an original work of Picasso and is therefore a forgery.
Signature proven counterfeit
In 2004 a large-scale art forgery case was exposed during the Salvador Dali centenary exhibition at the Wanha Satama fair centre in Helsinki. The art dealer concerned had forged and sold hundred of Dali graphics as well as graphics of some other internationally known artists as Rembrant, Braque, Chagall, Léger, Miro and Picasso. The exhibition was led by five persons, the owner and his son, two sellers and a woman. The police confiscated all the artwork. Both paintings and signatures were forged. Printed á ergo: "L'Arrivée du Chevalier", Réduciton de la peinture de Picasso, 3m 75cm x 1m 80cm - Vallauris in 1951. " The work is a copy, Picasso did not make the engraving or lithographs.
Signature proven counterfeit
In 2004 a large-scale art forgery case was exposed during the Salvador Dali centenary exhibition at the Wanha Satama fair centre in Helsinki. The art dealer concerned had forged and sold hundred of Dali graphics as well as graphics of some other internationally known artists as Rembrant, Braque, Chagall, Léger, Miro and Picasso. The exhibition was led by five persons, the owner and his son, two sellers and a woman. The police confiscated all the artwork. Both paintings and signatures were forged.
Signature proven counterfeit
In 2004 a large-scale art forgery case was exposed during the Salvador Dali centenary exhibition at the Wanha Satama fair centre in Helsinki. The art dealer concerned had forged and sold hundred of Dali graphics as well as graphics of some other internationally known artists as Rembrant, Braque, Chagall, Léger, Miro and Picasso. The exhibition was led by five persons, the owner and his son, two sellers and a woman. The police confiscated all the artwork. Both paintings and signatures were forged. This work is a poster. In the middle of the back side is printed with the text ". "Picasso - by Spadem et de heritiers Picasso - Paris 1990 ©." Version of the original drawing, which is owned by the Centro de Art Reina Sofia in Madrid.
Signature proven counterfeit
Oil on canvas, 54.3 x 45, 3 cm, cubist composition "head without a body," signed "Picasso" and dated -57. The painting is part of an investigation by the police in Halmstad, Sweden, in connection with a large seizure, in 1999, comprising one hundred counterfeit items, mostly paintings by famous artists. The seizure was also receipts and documents showing that the items were sold for approximately SEK 10,000.000. For this Picasso painting was found a sales receipt for SEK 190.000. It has been examined by experts, including the the Modern Museum in Stockholm. "At this time, in 1957, Picasso painted not in this style. The quality is too poor to be a Picasso. The signature is atypical and poorly executed, it does not have Picasso's character." The district court's assessment: The painting is a forgery.
Signature proven counterfeit
Oil on canvas, approx 38x45 cm, abstract composition dated '61. The painting is part of an investigation by the police in Halmstad, Sweden, in connection with a large seizure, in 1999, comprising one hundred counterfeit items, mostly paintings by famous artists. The seizure was also receipts and documents showing that the items were sold for approximately SEK 10.000,000. For this Picasso painting was found a sales document at SEK 275,000. It has been examined by experts, including the the Modern Museum in Stockholm. "Style and choice of subjects is not Picasso's. Quality is also too poor to be a Picasso. The signature is atypical and poorly executed, it does not have Picasso's character." The district court's assessment: The painting is a forgery.
Signature proven counterfeit
Drawing, composition with human figures, signed "Picasso". Ostensibly picturing a genuine painting by Pablo Picasso. The painting was confiscated in 2007 by the Danish police in Copenhagen. After an expert investigation and judgment declared that the painting is not genuine. It is a forgery.
Signature proven counterfeit
Drawing, composition with human figures, signed "Picasso". Ostensibly picturing a genuine painting by Pablo Picasso. The painting was confiscated in 2007 by the Danish police in Copenhagen. After an expert investigation and judgment declared that the painting is not genuine. It is a forgery.
Signature proven counterfeit
Drawing, composition with human figures, signed "Picasso". Ostensibly picturing a genuine painting by Pablo Picasso. The painting was confiscated in 2007 by the Danish police in Copenhagen. After an expert investigation and judgment declared that the painting is not genuine. It is a forgery.
Signature proven counterfeit
Drawing, composition with human figures, signed "Picasso". Ostensibly picturing a genuine painting by Pablo Picasso. The painting was confiscated in 2007 by the Danish police in Copenhagen. After an expert investigation and judgment declared that the painting is not genuine. It is a forgery.
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Explore other artists
Discover other notable artists who were contemporaries of Pablo PICASSO. These artists worked during the same period, offering valuable insights into artistic movements, signature styles, and authentication practices. Exploring related artists makes it easier to recognize common characteristics and artistic conventions of their era.