The comprehensive nature of the study includes an identification of the fundamental reasons for art forgery: these include financial gain; ego and recognition; satisfying artistic ambitions; challenging the system; and ideology.

Quite apart from the problem of a substantial financial loss for the purchaser of the dud item, art collectors, museums and art historians everywhere have to re-evaluate what they have done or what stock they hold, and a general sense of a lack of confidence pervades all.

The general legal justification for the related crimes is not difficult to assess: fake art involves misrepresentation and deceptions; economic damage; an attack on cultural heritage; and may give rise to questions around legal ownership.

Yet, there is a history in art education of copying genuine originals as part of the learning process. Indeed, it is a long-established practice (perhaps subject now to a few more security checks) to obtain an official permit for the Louvre for exactly that purpose.   

It is that eliding of clear boundaries of aspects of the art world that has given rise to a grey area in which the art forger was able operate, assisted by art historians in their willingness to attribute ownership, and dealers to sell. 

One important point that may be made by inference from the stories in Art Fraud is that the criminal business is not necessarily easy money. Many of the bad boys identified were trained artists and had complicated techniques for passing off the very new for the apparently old. 

In general, other criminals demonstrate the same sort of resolve in their particular line: the Great Train Robbers were moved by financial gain; ego and recognition; challenging the system; and ideology. They might have been a bit light on ‘satisfying artistic ambition’. 

Notably, these art forgeries reveal the willingness of a wealthy class (always looking to spend money) to acquiesce in details that were palpably incorrect, and willingly to look to pass on something that ought to have been inquired into, or approach the authorities. 

The author has shown with examples how it was, and may still be, that privacy and anonymity are common in the art world among sellers and buyers, so a lack of, or changes to, details need not necessarily raise suspicions. There appeared to have been unspoken understandings.  

New forensic techniques allow for easier identifications of forgeries but other technological developments have allowed for more sophisticated ‘products’, with greater accuracy of imitation, to be presented for sale.

This interesting narrative, of what is in effect polite crime at the highest level, is both instructive and entertaining, and it is supplemented by a very generous number of colour and black and white photographs, and all for a very modest cover price.  

Art Fraud: 50 fakes that fooled the Art world by Susie Hodge. Published by Quarto, 176pp, £20.