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Edward Hopper, New York Movie, 1939; Whitney Museum of American Art.  Edward Hopper's paintings are always naturalistic (although not necessarily hyper-realistic), with precise and thoughtful attention to light and shadow, foreground and background, details in even the least noticed places, and rich coloring overall. For example, notice the usherette's flesh tones in the Whitney's photo of New York Movie above. Hopper always manages to convey a sense of depth, space and actual life taking place within the frame. If an image that's supposedly of a Hopper work seems superficial, flat, uniform, lifeless or somewhat sketchy — as in the often seen, altered photos below — it would probably be best to look elsewhere for a more accurate copy.  Altered version of a painting by Edward Hopper.  Altered version of a painting by Edward Hopper.  Corrections or suggestions?
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Henri Matisse, The Red Studio, 1911; ©Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York   This is an unusual reversal. Despite its title, "The Red Studio" by Matisse actually looks a bit brownish in real life. The photo above shows the painting on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Toward the right, you can see a colorful Chagall, which tells us that the sienna tones of the Matisse are probably accurate. The altered version below — probably an enhanced photo — has brightened and intensified everything, most likely in a wrong attempt to introduce the bright primary hues that most people associate with Matisse.  Altered version of a painting by Henri Matisse.  Corrections or suggestions?
Carl Larsson, Interior of the Fürstenberg Gallery, 1885; Göteborgs Konstmuseum (Gothenburg Museum of Art).  The modern, colorized version shown below is probably the result of a digital edit, since it's more precisely detailed than might be expected from a recently painted reproduction. However, the original is much more naturalistic, and more beautifully presented than the modern interpretation — almost making you feel as though you're in the gallery yourself, participating in this richly composed Belle Époque scene. In addition, the lifelike quality of the authentic piece is more in keeping with Larsson's other work. The museum points out that many of the artworks and individuals in the painting can be identified: To the right stands Ernst Josephson, stooping, wholly focused on painting Göthilda Fürstenberg's portrait (which was never completed). Seated with his back to them, her husband Pontus is studying what is probably a print. [...] The background is filled by Raphaël Collin's vast painting, Summer (1884). In the middle of the room stands Per Hasselberg's sculpture The Snowdrop (1885).  Altered version of a painting by Carl Larsson.  THE ART DETECTIVE Bloopers, Fakes & Mistakes
William Merritt Chase, Hall at Shinnecock, 1892; Terra Foundation for American Art.  The purple and orange coloring in the altered version below should be a tip-off that it's probably a modern interpretation rather than a true copy of the original. In a naturalistic scene like this, those dresses would be white, and the wood in the ceiling and floor probably wouldn't be so orange. It's almost as though two filters have been added to the original photo, for no particular reason. This is probably a recently painted reproduction of William Merritt Chase's famous painting, although, assuming a lot of tampering, it could be the result of a digital edit.  Altered version of a painting by William Merritt Chase. Édouard Vuillard, At the Board Game, 1902; Städel Museum, Frankfurt.  The dark, blue-tinged version below is probably a reproduction of this Vuillard painting, possibly further altered with an editing app. It's best to avoid low-res images in general, since they can't adequately represent the artwork being shown, but keep in mind that blurry photos might also indicate a false image. Some fuzzy photos are authentic, but if so, they're often from sites that don't permit large-size downloads due to copyright restrictions. When that happens, there should be (but usually isn't) a copyright notification.  Low-resolution, altered version of a painting by Edouard Vuillard.  Copywriting & Consultations
Vanessa Bell, Interior With a Table, 1921; © Tate, London.  Some imaginative color changes in the recent reproduction below, which is circulating without a clear indication that it's been altered. A pleasant background note from the Tate, where the work is located: This picture was painted at La Maison Blanche, a villa just outside St. Topez which [Bell and Duncan Grant] rented from Bell's friend Rose Vildrac. They stayed there for five months [...] with Bell's children Quentin, Julian and Angelica. Bell wrote, 'It's delicious to be in the South — one forgets how nice it is — all the colors and the light and space and everything looking so baked through.'  Altered version of a painting by Vanessa Bell. |
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Disclaimer: This blog is intended for entertainment purposes only. Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information provided, the material included here should in no way be considered the final authority on any issues discussed in the text.
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