Fakes in the Haitian art market - part 2
November 23rd, 2007 by 
Ruth
A suggestion was made that we consider posting a tutorial to help collectors authenticate artwork. Art appraisal and authentication is a specialized field that requires a lot of study; unfortunately, for a long time this area has not been addressed in a professional manner. But that is changing…noted Haitian artist Marcel Wah has recently founded The Haitian Art Education and Appraisal Society, Inc. This website is dedicated to the cataloging of, and education about Haitian art. We are members of this society and hope that it will help bring stability to the market.
While we can’t offer a true tutorial, I can offer these pointers:
View other works by the same artist to determine if the style, subject and signature are similar to the work you are considering. Keep in mind that over an artist’s professional lifetime all these things may vary.
Subject and style - Some artists often paint many different subjects while others may only paint one subject. If an artist is known for market scenes and you are shown a landscape you need to do your research. It may be a very old painting or a newer style…or it could be a fake. Older paintings, paintings done before an artist found his style are not necessarily valued differently than the ones that he/she is known for…do your research.
Signature – Some artists have signed every painting in the same way on the same spot on the canvas. Others may have signed in different places on the canvas. Even more confusing, some have changed the way they sign over the years; changing from full name to only last name or abbreviating a part of the name. Sometimes they might date a painting, other times not. Again, do your research.
Much has been made about price and how it implies value. This is always true, but it is coupled with another valuable tool…know your source. Yes, a number of Jonathan Demme paintings went at auction for far below their expected market price. This does not imply that these paintings are not authentic. One can know and trust the source of these paintings, Jonathan Demme, a noted artist and collector with an impeccable reputation. The fact of the matter is that attendance was very low at this auction due to lack of publicity and this resulted in some very good bargains! The same cannot be said for auction sites like ebay where the integrity of the seller is not verified by an outside source. The buyer is left to judge for himself, and only has past performance and limited communication to go by. We advise caution.
Really, short of buying from the artists themselves, the best advice and the surest way to avoid costly mistakes is to:
Do your research!
Know your source!
Posted in Haiti, Haitian Art, Art | 
November 24th, 2007 at 8:32 am
Good article! I buy a lot of Haitian paintings…all from reputable galleries (including some online galleries). Online I will only buy from the 3 or 4 reputable galleries that have been around for a while. I will not buy from new online galleries until they have been around for at least a year and I will not buy from anyone on ebay, there are simply too many dishonest people there.
November 26th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Just got back from Haiti. Can’t believe how many paintings by bigtime artists (Bresil, S. Magloire, etc) are being sold on the street (obviously fakes). Wonder how many of these end up on ebay.
November 27th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
I got an Ismael on the street, before hearing about this from an expert, I then asked the vendor who said it was from a student, but signed by Ismael. After reading about this on this website when I got home, I was initially disappointed. Recently I got 2 more Ismaels from reliable galleries in Miami and Jacmel (one much older than 2000). I was advised by another expert that you can tell the difference by looking at the faces. Well, when I compared the 3, I cannot tell any difference in the faces, or any other aspect of the paintings, except the aging of the canvas of one of them. So now I wonder, either he was always using students to finish his paintings, or could they all be real?! (unlikely since he is dead). Maybe we should look at these as handmade, signed prints, and applaud the talent of anyone who can make a nearly perfect copy of a master painter, masters whose verified originals (outside of Sejourne) are really not all that expensive in the scheme of things in the art world. It is the plentitude of some of these artists pieces that ultimately reduces their value, whether due to the artist or forgers.
December 1st, 2007 at 4:59 pm
It’s a shame that the Haitian artists can make more money copying other artist’s works than they can if they painted it with their own names on it.
December 2nd, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Made a couple of purchases on ebay over the years. After reading all these entries, there is not a chance of me ever buying on ebay again.
December 5th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
I have been a customer of Medalia for many years…nothing but great service and great prices.
I cannot believe that an ebay seller has attacked you for expanding into Cuban and Brazilian art. I guess he or she must be feeling the heat.
I bought a piece of Cuban art from you a few weeks ago and it has become the centerpiece of my living room. How stupid can this guy be? Should Macy’s only sell women’s clothes? There are plenty of other Caribbean countries…keep expanding.
December 5th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
I just read “a loyal customer”’s entry into the blog. I could not believe it and went on ebay to see for myself. Man, this guy is an idiot! Why would anyone attack another company for expanding …unless of course you’re stupid or have no business sense.
December 5th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
Dear “A Loyal Customer” and “In Shock”…
We thank you very much for your comments and defense of our website. However, this blog is not about mudslinging. The purpose of the blog is to talk about the art the Caribbean and Latin America. This thread is intended to point out the large number of fakes being sold on ebay and in the marketplace in general…and to figure out what can be done about it. So please, let’s keep the blog on track. Thank you!
December 6th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
Easy solution to the problem of fakes: Stay away from ebay and 90% of the fakes will lose their market.
December 16th, 2007 at 10:56 am
Look at all the Bresils on sale on ebay. The guy must of painted day and night before he died to paint so many paintings…or (use your imagination!)
December 27th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
Psst…anyone want to buy a 24×36 Bresil for $300. I’ll even throw in the Brooklyn Bridge. Ebay Item #120202828937
January 2nd, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Thanks for the heads up on Bresil and Duffault. I’ve been tracking them on eBay for a time, and got suspicious when the same 24×36 “Bresil” sold on eBay just a few days apart. The same “gallery” sold the Sejourne that people were writing about just a few days ago.
I did see a painting on eBay that looked JUST like a Duffaut, and was surprised to see it was by another artist (reportedly a student). The same student could forge Duffaut’s signature, and it would be hard to tell.
I did buy an Abner Dubic painting on eBay several months back, for a lot less than gallery prices. The painting is older, so I am satisfied that it is not a fake…..or is it???
It would be nice if some expert could post detailed photos of a Haitian fake with its real counterpart, and help point out the clues that help reveal the fake.
January 3rd, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Question: It is obvious that fakes (ie Bresil/Andre Pierre/Duffaut) are being sold on ebay. That is a given. My question is this: does anyone have any suggestions how to stop this. Ebay doesn’t seem to care. What can be done?
January 10th, 2008 at 6:23 am
Here is why I don’t buy on ebay any more—- Besides outright fraud, there is total disinformation on ebay. Take a look at item #320205747545. The seller says this is Jean-Baptiste Jean painting. It is NOT! The signature (as well as the painting) is not JnBaptiste Jean’s. I think the seller means well, but is totally uninformed. I have some knowledge of Haitian artists…I pity the poor buyer who doesn’t and thinks he’s getting a great deal. EBAY BUYER BEWARE!
January 12th, 2008 at 7:03 am
A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE PROBLEM! I wrote to the seller of the “Jean-Baptiste Jean” painting 2 days ago (see my last post above). No response. The item is still on sale on ebay…with one bidder! The seller is obviously more interested in the money than in truth in advertising and some fool buyer thinks he’s getting a great deal!
January 14th, 2008 at 7:22 am
That’s the problem with ebay. The sellers are NOT dealers, they’re just interested in the buck. They don’t care about Haitian art, the artists or the fools that buy their art.
January 14th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
This discussion is interesting, as it does reveal a great deal about the varying motivations and typologies of collectors of Haitian art. On the one hand, there are bloggers who are understandably concerned they might themselves be unwitting purchasers of fakes. These are in turn derided as being ignorant and greedy on the other hand by the self-proclaimed cognoscenti, whose primary means of discernment is price. The latter use a syllogistic argument that because the painting is cheap, it must be a fake. Added to the fray are the ‘reputable’ dealers, who (and I do not mean to include Medalia in this category, as I am not in a position to judge them fairly) decry other dealers as phony or unscrupulous. Coming from France, I find an analogy in Americans’ attitude to wine. The Americans do not appreciate wine, but it has become fashionable and has a great deal of snob appeal. They will spend absurd amounts of money on a bottle of mediocre wine, and assume that a cheaper bottle is of inferior quality. However, if they had any genuine discernment, they would not rely on experts or price brackets to determine what they were drinking. This is the essential problem of the Haitian art market. Compared to other art markets, Haitian art is still relatively affordable, and owning the work of a listed artist is within the means of a modest budget. There is a strong desire not to buy a painting, but a work by Pierre, Bresil, Duffaut. The fact of the matter is that we are dealing with a business, and all art dealers are businesspeople. That is not to say that they are not sincere art lovers - only that if one is not in it for the money, then one is simply content to remain a collector. If this were not so, there would not be such a wide gulf between the living standards of dealers and artists. The fact that a work commands a high price in the art market is not a reflection of the individual work’s quality, but of the recognition of the artist’s success. Artists do not consistently produce good work, yet the prices works command remain constant. A case in point is Wilson Bigaud. His early work is superb, but his paintings of the last thirty years are mediocre, and yet remain expensive because they feature his autograph. I recently attended an art sale by one of Haiti’s most famous galleries, and my wife and I passed over some Prefete Duffaut paintings as artless daubs. Why should Duffaut not observe the laws of supply and demand, when his mere signature at the foot of a canvas is sufficient to render his paintings expensive? I do not think it is fair to lambaste the Haitian painter who is selling putative fakes in eBay for two reasons: firstly, it has to be asked whether someone selling fakes would sell them at a low price when a good fake could fetch the price of an original. In other words, it could be argued that the low prices of the paintings are not an indication of lack of authenticity, but that the seller is allowing himself a lower mark-up than the galleries. Moreover, in the case of the seller singled out on this blog, he is himself an artist, and friend of many Haitian artists, whose work is sold by himself, as well as the other galleries. Secondly, there is no reason to believe that the ‘reputable’ galleries are not selling fakes, either wittingly or unwittingly. I was told by a well-known dealer, who is a sincere lover of Haitian art, that when he visited Casimir to buy paintings directly from him, he observed a group of boys churning out paintings that were then signed by Casimir. He felt that he could sell them as Casimirs in good conscience, because he had bought them from the artist. I would offer the following advice. Unless you are interested in Haitian art as a speculation, you should set all vanity aside, and buy a painting on its individual artistic merits alone, and not its market value or the renown of the artist. There is no such thing as a qualified art appraiser for Haitian art, as provenance itself is difficult to establish for one very simple reason: the poverty experienced by Haitian artists (in part owing to the unwillingness of art dealers to pay a fairer price) encourages some of them to produce works that are unworthy of their talents and to sign works that have been painted by their students. My little experience has taught me to be wary of art dealers and artists, and my intuition tells me to be wary of art appraisers (in the case of Casimir, will the appraiser appraise the painting or the signature?). The only criterion for buying an artwork should be the quality that you perceive in it. However much you want to pay for it is another matter entirely.
January 14th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
In response to your comments Solomon, in my opinion you are missing a very important point…it is true that people should purchase what they like, what is appealing to them and not be concerned with how it is “appraised” or what others think of it. However, if you purchase a piece of art believing it to be by a certain artist, for example a Bigaud, then in fact it should be an original Bigaud and not a fake! Whether Bigaud’s early works have caused his newer works to be “worth” more than somebody thinks they should be worth is irrelevant. As a buyer you should get what you believe you are getting not a fake. So although I agree that the “criteria for buying artwork should be the quality you perceive in it”, there is a difference between determining quality and determining authenticity. One should get what they are paying for…in your language, I don’t want to pay for a pinot noir and get a merlot.
January 14th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Solomon makes some strong points but I have a problem with his lack of understanding about “fakes”. He faults a system whereby the artists are taken advantage of by the gallery owners, resulting in the fact that some Haitian artists don’t seem to place a value on quality, and that some don’t place a value on their reputation. He doesn’t like the fact that the name of the artist predicates the price of the painting, as opposed to the quality of the piece.
While there is some truth to this, is it not an excuse to knowingly sell forgeries. Price is not relevant here…knowingly selling a work of art that is a fake/forgery is illegal, immoral and theft. There is no getting around the fact that when a forged painting is sold, the seller has stolen from the artist. Not only that, if enough forged works are sold it devalues the legitimate works by the artist.
Sure, reputable galleries occasionally sell a forgery, but that is because they got taken too, not because they intended to defraud their customers.
Certainly I recommend only buy paintings that you love, not choosing paintings solely by the artist, but there is nothing wrong with purchasing known artists. Whatever the reason a person chooses to buy, he/she shouldn’t have to worry about it’s authenticity.
Forgery is wrong, whether it is a hundred dollar bill, a book or a painting. There is just no getting around that.
January 14th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Sue G’s and Josie’s comments are absolutely correct, and it wasn’t my intention in my previous posts to diminish the serious problem of fakes. I was actually responding to bloggers on this and the previous related thread who suggested that because something is cheap, it must be a fake, and if it is expensive, it is a guarantee of authenticity. The problem of Haitian art fakes, however, is not an easy one to remedy, as many famous painters’ works are not hard to forge. I suggested that the quality of the painting is the most important consideration, as there is a great chance that people may be disappointed to discover that their presumed master is in fact a fake. If more attention was paid to the quality of the painting, rather than the value of the signature, buyers would make their purchases more advisedly. I also believe that purchasers should understand that there is a certain risk, and that there are no surefire solutions, such as trusting a reputable gallery (see the comment above by the person who had bought paintings from the artist, only to be told that they were fakes by a gallery owner). Potential buyers outside Haiti could, however, bear the following in mind before they make a purchase: 1. Ask a gallery to detail the provenance of the work in question (was it bought directly from the artist? can the gallery provide a certificate of authenticity? who was the previous owner of the painting?) 2. Many galleries provide a photograph of the artist holding up the work for sale (including, it might be added, the Haitian artist/dealer who was pilloried by some bloggers), which is as sure a guarantee you can get, the ’school of Casimir’ notwithstanding.
3. Be wary of experts, especially if they are also gallery owners. The enthusiasm of a gallery owner does not make a connoisseur. It is not as hard as people imagine to distinguish a fake, or a genuine, albeit paltry work, if you look at as many examples of other works that you can find (there are a good many books on Haitian art, and thirty internet galleries, most with good reproductions.) This has the added advantage of developing discernment not only between what is perhaps fake and what is genuine, but what is of higher quality.
I agree that it is terrible that one has to be cautious about what one is buying, but that is how it is, and forewarned is forearmed.
January 15th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Solomon…
I very much appreciate your wise and insightful comments about Haitian art.
What I do not understand is your defense of “the Haitian artist/dealer who was pilloried.” Do you honestly think that the Bresil paintings he has sold on ebay for ridiculously low prices are legitimate and not fakes. I have been to Haiti and seen these “Bresil” paintings all over the marketplace.
January 15th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
This is a very interesting and informative discussion. However, once you have found a source that you are satisfied with, stick with it. We’ve been buying from you guys (Medalia) for over 5 years with no problems. Why would we buy elsewhere?
January 15th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
As far as the Haitian artist/dealer who has been the subject of much discussion, I will give my purely personal opinion, which will certainly shock a few people. Before doing so, I would just like to point out that it is only natural that the person who buys a Pierre for a third of its usual price would want to be reassured that they have got a genuine bargain, just as, unfortunately, there are people who may have spent thousands on an Andre Pierre who would be seething with rage at the thought of someone getting one for much less. Such is human nature! But to return to the Haitian artist/dealer. Although I would be wary of most 400 dollar Bresils on eBay, I believe that the ones offered by the Haitian artist/dealer are genuine for a number of reasons. Firstly, unlike the galleries, he is completely transparent, providing simple means of locating his gallery and place of business (how many ‘reputable’ galleries do that?) Secondly, he is a Diaspora artist himself. I am not personally a great admirer of his work. I can only assume that he has sufficient artistic pride not to feel the need to peddle fakes. Thirdly, the prices he proposes on eBay are not the same as those he quotes on his website, these being more or less the prices found in the market. Fourthly, he is the friend of a number of famous artists, whose work he sells, and who can be seen holding up photos of works for sale in photos taken with the artist/dealer. Fifthly, why would the seller of a fake offer it at a low price, when the purpose of selling it would be to make money? It hardly seems conceivable that a person would unnecessarily risk an established reputation for a couple of hundred bucks. Finally, he is clear (although sometimes lacking in diplomacy) that he wishes to break the gallery system, which he feels has unfairly exploited artists, by bringing down market prices. I am not necessarily concurring with his opinion, but just explaining his position. It has to be borne in mind that there are famous artists in Haiti and the Diaspora who live in poverty, whereas many gallery owners in Haiti live in luxury from the proceeds of these artists’ works bought for a pittance. That is not to say that a gallery does not deserve commission, but there are artists who resent being sold short, as they see it. This explains the motivation of the Haitian artist dealer in question.
January 15th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Solomon…
I think your defense of the artist/dealer is admirable, but misguided.
Let’s take a $400 Bresil…you say that you believe that there probably are many fake $400 Bresil paintings on ebay, but this dealer’s paintings are genuine. How much do you think he paid for this $400 painting? $200, $300? Who is going to sell him a legitimate Bresil at this price. Surely not a gallery. An individual who knows that he could sell the painting for $100’s or $1000’s more? Highly unlikely. This “dealer” states that he didn’t become a dealer until he travelled to Haiti in 2000. Bresil died in 1999. On his site he states that in 1998 Bresil offered him his paintings for $400 and he turned Bresil down because “he wasn’t a collector or a dealer.” Do you think that as a new “dealer” in 2000 he had the foresight to go around Haiti collecting all the Bresils he could find and put them down his basement until he was ready to sell them in 2007/2008? How much do you think he paid for all these Bresils back in 2000 in order to sell them for $400 each today (when by his own admission Bresil offered him the paintings for $400 in 1998)? Another unlikely scenario.
What scenario is left? While I have not seen any of this dealer’s Bresil paintings in person, my personal conclusion is that it is highly unlikely that these paintings are legitimate.
January 15th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
The purpose of this blog is to figure out what can be done about the multitude of fakes that are now inundating the Haitian art marketplace.
We would appreciate it if specific dealers and websites are not discussed or attacked. From here on in, all direct attacks, etc on specific sites or dealers will be deleted from the blog.
Thank you…
Medalia
January 16th, 2008 at 8:04 am
As a general rule, I would prefer to buy a painting at a bricks and mortar gallery or at an art sale, but I realise that not everyone has recourse to that. There are certainly risks involved in buying on eBay, but it is wrong to assume that every eBay seller is a purveyor of fakes. As a matter of fact, I have made a couple of modest purchases on eBay, but from well-known established galleries (yes, the galleries do sell on eBay!) The truth of the matter is that, with the exception of paintings from the Jonathan Demme collection, most of the paintings being sold on eBay are not particularly interesting, even if they are entirely genuine. For some reason, the galleries who sell on eBay do not reveal their real identity, but if you are diligent, you can find the paintings they post on eBay on their internet galleries, although this is time-consuming. The attraction of eBay is that you can perhaps find a good deal, but if a reserve has been placed on the item, you will often end up paying the gallery price. The danger of buying on eBay is perhaps high risk, compared with buying from galleries, but buyers can use their judgement as to whether a seller is reputable. The fact is that a Duffaut, Bresil or Pierre is easier to fake than a J. Enguerrand Gourgue. There are, however, painters who openly imitate other artists’ styles, but sign their own name at the bottom of the canvas. Therefore, although this is admittedly not a particularly scientific method, the works of certain artists appearing on eBay should raise some alarm bells. Knowing your source, however, is much more important than using price to determine whether something is authentic or a forgery. The Jonathan Demme collection paintings that recently appeared on eBay had very low starting prices. Obviously, there were reserves placed, and the number of bidders was low, which meant that some people did get some good deals. A personal tip is that I am personally suspicious about any postings on eBay that feature descriptions along the lines of “I don’t really know anything about Haitian art – I’m just selling off some paintings my grandmother bought in Haiti in the 50s. I don’t know whether they’re any good or not … etc.” or the painting that clearly looks like an Andre Pierre that comes with the description “I don’t really know how much this painting is worth. I think the signature says something like Amy Pielle …”
January 17th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Ok, we’re all in agreement that there are fakes being sold on ebay.
What do we do about it? How about some suggestions.
January 17th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Sue G., I hope the following will meet with your satisfaction. There are two aspects to this problem. The first is: How can forgers be stopped from forging? I imagine that most people would agree that it would be hard to staunch the flow of fakes, so they are led to pose a second question: Given that forgeries are being produced, how can the purchaser be protected from the risk of being sold a fake?
I have an idea for providing greater reassurance to buyers, but I doubt that given the rampant corruption in Haiti it would ever be practicable. The sale of Inuit art, for example, is regulated by the Canadian government. Inuit art dealers must provide a certificate of authenticity for each work, and the certificates themselves must be obtained from the government. Anyone who knows Haiti realizes that if this system were to operate there, there would unfortunately soon be a new market in forged certificates of authenticity! On the other hand, it is perfectly reasonable for a buyer to demand a certificate of authenticity from a gallery. Reputable galleries in Haiti buy directly from the artists. Galleries outside Haiti either go on buying trips to Haiti, or have people in Haiti buy for them. In each case, the gallery should be prepared to provide information as to why they can attest to the authenticity of the piece they are selling. Furthermore, to have any value, a certificate of authenticity, should contain the following information at the very least: title or description of piece, name of artist, the price, the date of purchase, the name and bricks and mortar address of the gallery, and the signature of the owner of the gallery. If a gallery does not wish to provide a certificate of authenticity, then at the very least you should demand an invoice or receipt that contains all of the above information, minus the gallery owner’s signature.
I think it is important to pursue the discussion of a subject that is of considerable concern to collectors, despite the occasional mudslinging in some posts. My observations below could be of interest to some concerned collectors. I am myself a collector, and am as eager to avoid buying a forgery as the next person.
Uppermost in this discussion of protection against counterfeiting has been the risk of buying on eBay. I would caution buyers against complete confidence in galleries, as opposed to a total distrust of eBay sellers (as the latter has been recommended on this blog), just as by the same token, I would urge buyers to approach eBay judiciously and to research the provenance of the paintings offered and the credentials of the sellers. I will set out what I believe the merits and disadvantages of eBay and the galleries below, and conclude with a general comment on forgeries.
EBay:
1. The greater proportion of paintings that appear on eBay are of poor quality, are by relatively unknown artists, and this is reflected in their low price.
2. A number of established galleries do sell on eBay, although most do not make their identity clear. In most cases, the starting price of the works sold is not significantly lower than the market price.
3. Paintings of high quality do appear on eBay, and they are rarely offered for less than what most galleries would charge. The question facing a potential purchaser of this type of painting should be: why purchase a painting for thousands without actually seeing it in the flesh, so to speak? This could be acceptable, however, in the case of paintings that are known, or have already been catalogued by Sotheby’s or in a famous collection like Demme’s, for example. Be that as it may, it is still as necessary to proceed with caution for high priced works as it is for presumed bargains.
4. If a painting looks like a Duffaut, and the seller states that it is by a student of Duffaut, and the signature on the canvas is different from the commonly accepted signature of Prefete Duffaut, the work in question is obviously not a Duffaut, but neither is it a forgery, as the seller did not mislead you. As always, buyer beware!
Galleries
1. Collectors, in order to protect themselves, should try their best to understand how the Haitian art market operates, so as to be aware of some of the pitfalls. Some galleries, like collectors, can unwittingly purchase fakes, and resell them, believing them to be originals.
2. Reputable galleries in Haiti generally buy directly from the artists, of from collectors. Galleries outside Haiti buy paintings in a combination of ways: directly from the artist, through a middleman in Haiti, and on buying trips in Haiti. Some handle estate sales, which means that they will sell a private collection through their gallery, usually for a commission. Fakes can thus enter into the inventory of a gallery in a number of ways.
3. The risk involved in buying from a gallery is no less than that of buying through eBay, but the same approach should be adopted: research your seller! It may not be a question of honesty, but that the art dealer may not be able to establish the authenticity of a work. Running a food emporium doesn’t make a person a gourmet.
4. You are more likely, and this is obviously only a suggested rule of thumb, to have greater confidence in a gallery that only sells high quality works. That is not to say high quality is the same as highly priced. Galleries who have massive inventories of paintings of greatly differing quality do not suggest a great deal of discernment, so it can be imagined that they could be more easily taken in by an unscrupulous middleman and unwittingly find themselves with fakes in their inventory.
Certain artists that have achieved considerable popularity are often copied in Haiti for sale to unsuspecting tourists. It would appear that the most common subjects for forgers are Bresil, Prefete Duffaut, Andre Pierre and Ismael Saincilus. It will be observed that the more stylized the work, the more likely it is to be the subject of a forgery. In the case of Bresil, for example, forgeries are presumably more likely to be of his later, stylized work, than that of his early, more naturalistic canvases. It is likely that it is these tourist paintings are the source of the forgeries being sold in America.
The Haitian Art Education and Appraisal Society is a noble venture, but is not yet functioning. It is obviously a step in the right direction, but I think that the Art Education mission will ultimately be more effective in reducing the sale of forgeries, than the Appraisal. To return to my wine-tasting metaphor of an earlier post, the blogger was right to say that if someone pays for a pinot noir, they should not get a merlot, but I was trying to say that prevention is better than cure: the more research one does, the more likely one is able to recognize a pinot for oneself.
January 18th, 2008 at 9:14 am
I’m an “amateur” of haitian and other paintings too, for years. About copies : I agreed that everyone has to do his own research, and mainly go to the sources… for me, meet the artist (and buy from him directly) is the best !
Copying denotes how poor and unfair is an “artist”, quite so ! however, if the imitator is quite brillant,”genial”,(see the example of this hungarian artist, working in a well-known spanish island, who died several years ago, which works cost million of dollars by the days…), so, if the copy is brillant, fantastic, why on earth to shed tears of despair ?
I add that, by experience, I suspect several “experts” are unable to distinguish what is a fake from the genuine. And at leat : every person has to walk and go to the good path…
January 18th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Regarding a Certificate of Authenticity, if someone is going to the trouble of forging a painting, or knowingly selling a forged painting then one can assume that they would have no qualms about creating documents that certify the work as a authentic. The paper is only as valuable as the person who signs it, and again, that boils down to researching your supplier.
January 18th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Appraisal, in the context of the Haitian Art Education and Appraisal Society, for example, involves, as a first step, authentication. Obviously, a Certificate of Authenticity can be forged, but that would only be necessary if there existed some form of official certificate, as would be hypothetically provided by, say, the Haitian Culture Ministry, or for that matter, the Haitian Art Education and Appraisal Society. A certificate of authenticity is otherwise a conventional document that is customarily provided by art dealers generally. Of course, there is nothing to prevent an unscrupulous dealer providing a mendacious certificate. On the other hand, it is not standard practice in the Haitian art market. This is surprising, given the extent of counterfeiting. It has to be accepted, however, that it is not realistic to believe that the production of forgeries can be halted. What remains is to find a means to protect and reassure buyers. A certificate of authenticity, or indeed, an itemized invoice, issued by a gallery or seller could provide two forms of protection for the buyer: the first is for insurance evaluation or resale purposes, and the second is that it places the onus on the gallery which is selling the work as an original.
We should also consider the specificity of the Haitian art industry, for an industry is what it is. I do not mean to denigrate the artists in any way, as this aspect of Haitan art is a dimension wrought by the gallery system. In the 1940s, art critics like Rodman, El Saieh, Monnin and company would nurture individual talents. In the poorest country in the western hemisphere, art has become an important export. What other art market in the world deals in paintings of systematically uniform andstandardized measurements viz. 8 x 10, 12 x 16, 16 x 20, 20 x 24 etc.? Needless to say, these measurements are in inches, and all that is implied therein. The more canvases the artists paint, the more they are paid. Consequently, there can be a diminishing of quality, a lack of inventiveness and little evolution in an artist’s style and themes. This is also a contributing factor in the ease with which fakes can be produced and sold.
The Haitian art market is a young one, but the majority of Haitian paintings are now sold through galleries in America. It is hard to talk of experts in Haitian art, unless we consider the art critics to be experts. There are discerning collectors, there are connoisseurs and there are enthusiasts. Some of the gallery owners are connoisseurs, and some are enthusiasts. It has been suggested that concerned collectors should just buy from a few trusted, reputable galleries. That is reasonable advice in itself, but is that not just equivalent to an implied certificate of authenticity? The important question here is to know which galleries can be trusted. The longevity of a gallery is not, in itself, a guarantee of integrity. It has to be assumed, however, that the majority of galleries are honest. The real challenge is to determine to what extent they can be considered expert enough to distinguish between an authentic work and a forgery. The responsibility of ensuring that forgeries are not circulated within the supply network of the ‘reputable galleries’ is a shared one: the collector has no other option than to make purchases advisedly, through developing his own skills of discernment, and the galleries should observe some form of professional standard for the reassurance of collectors.
January 18th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Don’t need these long-winded explanations. You guys have been great, I trust you and I will continue to buy from you.
January 20th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Agree with Jeff C. I’ve had only good experiences buying from Medalia so why take a chance elsewhere. “Go with what you know!”
January 20th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Ebay item 130191750460,140200035697 on ebay are obvious fakes. Why is there silence on this?
January 30th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
These venders should be reported to ebay.
January 30th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
I tried complaining to Ebay about the fake Bresils, but I never heard from them and the fakes were sold. Maybe if we ALL start complaining they’ll do something about it.
February 11th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
150215090710 This item on ebay is a fake. I just report to ebay and if enough people do the same eBay will pull it off its site.
February 13th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Good luck to all the owners of legitimate Bresils. With fakes like
150215090710 above, the market for Bresils is dead. Who’s next??
February 14th, 2008 at 6:39 am
Hello,
I am french and bought a HR Bresil few months ago.
When, I received this painting, I was shocked to see this painting absolutely clean, means the back frame looks new (not dark stain due to the mushroom moisture for example, normally this painting has to be more than 10 years old).
Then I decided to investigate and find some informations concerning the fakes Haitian painting.
I noticed in yours comments above that Jean Robert spoke about the paints item 130191750460,140200035697 on ebay and mentioned that they are obvious fakes.
I bought in december 2007 from this seller a HR Bresil item 130181769927 at 650$, I am stupid, Right!?
I bought 2 André Blaise from [name deleted], the price seems cheap, and this gallery looks honest but now, I am scared to have bought a copy too.
How can I know if these paints are fakes or not!?
Sorry for my bad english, nevertheless I hope that It will be comprehensible.
February 14th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
TME, you’re not stupid. Like many people who think they can beat the system, you thought you were getting yourself a good deal. Unfortunately, the deal was too good to be true. Don’t forget the old saying “you get what you pay for”. There are many people like you buying on ebay. Wait until they try to sell the “masters” that they bought. They’re in for a big surprise.
February 14th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Time, I also bought some art from [name deleted], he is very easy to deal. with why don’t you contact him about your suspicions? I’m sure he will releive your fears. He knows Andre Blise personally.
February 15th, 2008 at 4:34 am
Scotty & Robert, many thanks for your advises.
In the futur, i will take care of the buying on ebay, and I probably won’t buy paints anymore by this way.
I am already reassured on one thing, the paintings were made by André Blaise that I bought seem to be originals, And I can also trust to [name deleted].
Many thanks again to you.
February 20th, 2008 at 6:30 am
Looks like the only solution is to not buy on ebay. A buyer takes too much of a chance when he buys Haitian art on ebay.
February 25th, 2008 at 7:46 am
Why can’t someone start a site or blog and every time someone sees a fake on ebay, they post it. Then everyone emails ebay that its a fake. Maybe if they got an avalanche of email telling them its a fake ebay will respond. Anyone willing to do this?
March 1st, 2008 at 5:43 pm
I’ve noticed that certain “dealers” on ebay haven’t sold any “Bresils” lately. Do you think they finally got the message or are they just waiting for their friends down in Haiti to paint more fakes.
March 10th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Do people really think they’re getting a bargain on ebay…fakes all over the place.
Here’s some artists that are being faked the most-
Andre Pierre
Stivinson Magloire
HR Bresil
Levoy Exil
Prefete Duffaut
Saincilius Ismael
Feel free to add to the list.
March 11th, 2008 at 6:17 am
Add Bernard Sejourne to the list of most faked artists.
March 16th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
What about passing off anything signed Casimir as a Laurent Casimir.
March 20th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Hi Samuel,
Several artists are doing Casimir-style paintings, and I bought one on eBay a few months back. My 8×10 example, already framed, only cost me $35, with shipping. I paid a similar amount for a small, framed Duffalt look-alike (artist was Souffrant). For these prices, I don’t care that they’re fake. They decorate the house very nicely, and the artistry is sufficiently comparable to the “real thing,” that I feel no shame in displaying them. On the other hand, it’s one thing to pay only $50 for an imitation, and another thing to fork over $650 for a fake. I certainly won’t get rich collecting fake Haitian art, but then again, Jonathan Demme didn’t rich collecting the real thing, either (I reviewed his auction results). Buy what you like, and forget about it!
March 20th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Moysian, you’re missing the point. Sellers are passing off the Casimir-style paintings as REAL Laurent Casimir paintings. You obviously have some knowledge of Haitian art…the people that don’t think they’re buying the real thing.
Also, there is nothing wrong with buying a Soufrant painting. He is not faking a Duffaut, he signed his name.
March 31st, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Why does anyone buy on ebay?? Maybe 5 years ago you could get a great deal or a steal on ebay, but now you pay a price equivalent to what you would pay in a gallery or you get the dregs(poor quality paintings by known artists).
People don’t realize that many of the known Haitian artists are getting quite old. A Bigaud painted in the last few years is not worth the same as a Bigaud painted in the 1960’s. Same for Cedor and many other artists. Just because the name is there doesn’t mean the value is there.
April 2nd, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Here we go again!!!!! Check out all the “Ismael” paintings on ebay. And people actually buy these things thinking they’re getting a bargain. Unbelievable!
April 5th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Quick, hurry. You can buy a Bresil or Ismael on ebay for $9.99.
April 13th, 2008 at 4:51 am
Bought an HR Brésil in 1988 in an Art Shop in Martinique !! (25X20 cm ). Could it be a fake at that time ???
April 13th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Just went to a charity Haitian art auction last night. They had a 20×24 Andre Pierre for $5000. This one (ebay #160229400367) is $200 for the same size. Opinion, anyone?
April 13th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Since $4000 to $5000 is the going price for a 20×24 Andre Pierre, I think the answer is obvious.
April 17th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
The following quote is from ebay. Am I missing something?
“Haitian painting by Bordenave Antoine 12″x16″ acrylic on canvas. . Painting is unstreched and will be shipped rolled. This artist was Sainsilus best pupil. He usually signed Ismael Saincilus on his canvases but recently he is using his own name.”
April 25th, 2008 at 5:19 am
George, you’re not missing anything. Therein lies the problem…artists signing other artist’s names. Fakes! Happens all over, but more so on ebay.
April 25th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Ebay has become worthless. I no longer buy anything there due to all the scams and fakes.
May 10th, 2008 at 7:12 am
Where else but ebay can you buy an Andre Pierre 24×36 for $650 (item #160238054884). I was in Haiti a few years ago and bought a 20×24 for $2200. Deflation or fake?