Connoisseurship and Technical Analysis Re-evaluating the Laughing Cavalier Forgery 100 Years After the Court Case

A century after the 1925 trial, the Laughing Cavalier painting is once again the subject of extensive examination. Its recent resurfacing provides a rare opportunity to re-evaluate the painting itself and the methods used to analyse it during the court case. This allows us to study the evolution of connoisseurship in the field of forgery detection. It also enables us to consider how art-historical research and technical analysis and methods can be effectively combined in this area. This essay marks the beginning of the ERC-funded Consolidator Grant project ARTDETECT, that will systematically analyse a variety of painted forgeries and reference works over the next few years. The project will also critically assess methods that can help to recognise and identify forged paintings and explore innovative ways to make the authentication process more effective and efficient.