The Rothko Scam

The Knoedler Gallery, once a venerable New York art institution, became embroiled in controversy after a series of art forgery incidents orchestrated by dealer Glafira Rosales and overlooked by gallery director Anne Friedman.

Anne Friedman Acquired Forgeries From Dealer Glafira Rosales

Upon her promotion to director of the Knoedler Gallery, Anne Friedman met with art dealer Glafira Rosales. Rosales presented an offer with an air of sophistication: she claimed she had a client wishing to sell a Mark Rothko painting that could be profitable for the gallery.

Rosales Claimed the Paintings Were From a 1950s-60s Mysterious Art Collector's Collection

In the mid-1990s, Rosales introduced Friedman to a narrative of secrecy and rarity. The account involved a mysterious Mr. X, a wealthy individual whose family, fleeing Europe post-World War II, acquired prominent paintings directly from abstract expressionist artists in New York during the 1950s and 60s. These artworks were allegedly inherited by Mr. X Jr. and stored in Mexico. Rosales also concocted a persona for Mr. X, who she claimed desired anonymity because he was closeted and feared exposure if he brought the artwork to his home in Switzerland.

Friedman Dismissed Concerns Over Paintings' Provenance and Authenticity, Citing Art Experts' Opinions

Despite red flags, including a murky provenance, anonymous selling, and below-market pricing, Anne Friedman and her team at the Knoedler Gallery accepted Rosales' narratives. Friedman dismissed concerns regarding the authenticity of the paintings, maintaining that a particular Pollock painting she acquired, although lacking proper documentation and absent from any catalog, was legitimate. She espoused the opinions of art experts to counterbalance any doubts o ...

Concerns have been raised in the art world regarding the authenticity of certain paintings due to the lack of proper documentation and provenance. Experts are finding inconsistencies, and explanations provided for missing provenance are often implausible.

Suspicious Paintings' Ownership due to Lack of Documentation

The Art Dealers Association of America warns against acquiring works without a clear provenance. This advice became particularly relevant as paintings from Mr. X Jr's collection were sold to Knoedler Gallery at a significant discount, raising suspicions about their authenticity. Even though an authentic Rothko would command a high price, Mr. X continued selling his paintings at a shockingly low rate, thereby avoiding scrutiny.

Experts Found Inconsistencies That Suggested Forgeries

The International Foundation for Art Research (IFAR) and other experts have found multiple inconsistencies, suggesting potential forgeries. For example, IFAR refused to authenticate an alleged Jackson Pollock painting sold to the Knoedler Gallery due to its murky record and unidentified owner. Forensic expert Jamie Martin, consulted by the FBI, discovered a pigment on one of Mr. X's pieces that had not been invented until after the supposed creation date of the work.

Implausible Explanations for Missing Provenance

Art historians and conservators faced explanations for missing provenance that appear implausible. Rosales provided vague details about the ownership and provenance of the paintings, while Friedman, the gallerist at Knoedler Gallery, dismissed concerns and questioned the credibility of experts like Martin. E.A. Carmean Jr. suggested that the modern pigment could have been transferred to Mr. X's pieces by a non-artist collector — a highly unlikely scenario.

Anne Friedman saw issues with the provenance but believed in possible explanations, such as 20th-century collectors who might have bought directly from ...

The Knoedler Gallery forgery scandal has spawned multiple investigations and substantial fallout, with authorities unraveling the details of this extensive art fraud.

FBI and Authorities Investigate Forgery Scheme

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the plaintiffs in 10 different lawsuits settled their respective cases out of court, digging into the Knoedler Gallery forgery scheme after it was revealed that several paintings sold by the gallery, purported to be masterpieces, were forgeries.

Rosales Confessed and Identified the Forger, Peixing Qian

Glafira Rosales confessed to her role in the fake art scheme and identified her accomplice, the actual forger, as Pei-Shen Qian. He was a math professor and an artist in China, who later immigrated to the U.S. After his name came out, Qian fled to China, beyond the reach of U.S. authorities due to lack of an extradition treaty. Searches of his residence uncovered evidence of the forgeries, like an envelope labeled "Mark Rothko Nails," art books, and paints consistent with those used in the fraudulent paintings.

Rosales pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including wire fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion, leading to a three-month jail sentence, nine months of house arrest, and three years of probation. Additionally, she was ordered to forfeit $33 million earned from the sale of the forgeries and pay $81 million in restitution. Efforts to extradite Rosales's boyfriend, Jose Carlos Bergantiños Diaz, from Spain were unsuccessful due to his failing health.

Friedman Denied Knowing the Paintings Were Forged, but Many Doubted Her

Ann Friedman, the former director of the Knoedler Gallery, maintained her innocence, insisting she had been deceived into selling counterfeit art. She relied on the judgment of trusted art experts, and some leading Rothko scholars, including David Anfam, had authenticated the pieces. However, her claims of ignorance faced skepticism, particularly because the gallery's profitability was dependent on the sales of the questioned works, and she exhibited a deeply invested interest in maintaining their supposed authenticity. Questions arose regarding her sharp business acumen and her successful career ascent, raising doubts about her unawareness.

Some colleagues described Friedman as very persuasive and implied that she might have been part of the scheme—or at least wilfully ignorant of the deception. Even after the gallery had agreed to have the painting's authenticity certified following the challenge by the International Foundation for Art Research (IFAR), Friedman continued to stand by the authenticity of the works, even relisting a suspicious Pollock painting for $11 million after returning a buyer's $2 million.

Friedman has publicly stated that she was not aware that ...