Henry Keazor, Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art History at Heidelberg University, will give a lecture as part of the IEG Research Colloquium on 27 October 2026 entitled:
“What Is Wrong with Forgery?”
The question posed in the title of the lecture was first raised in 1965 by the Dutch-American philosopher Alfred Lessing in an essay that has since become a standard text in anthologies on (art) forgery. Lessing’s reflections begin with the observation that forgeries, as long as they have not been exposed as such, may be held in high aesthetic esteem – an appreciation that can immediately turn into its opposite once the true nature of the works is revealed. Lessing asks how this can be possible, given that nothing about the material object itself has changed. He thus criticises an assessment of art that is based not on the aesthetic qualities of a work but on what he considers external criteria, such as historical facts.
Taking up Lessing’s question of what is “wrong” with a forgery, the lecture approaches it from two perspectives. First, it asks what is inherently “wrong” or problematic about forgeries – a question often raised by members of the public who may be unaware of the consequences of introducing forged works into the art market. Second, it examines what actually constitutes a forgery in art and what different forms of forgery need to be distinguished. A series of examples will illustrate these questions and provide a basis for considering what makes forgeries problematic.
The final part of the lecture will consider possible strategies for better protecting against forgery in the future. Beyond the established pillars of detecting forgeries – stylistic examination, provenance research, analysis of materials and techniques, and, more recently, the use of AI – what other approaches might be available?
The event will be moderated by Prof. Thorsten Wübbena, Professor of Digital Cultural Heritage at Mainz University of Applied Sciences and Head of the DH Lab at the IEG.
Please register by email at veranstaltungen@ieg-mainz.de.
Venue: Leibniz Institute of European History (IEG), Alte Universit
