Marcus LARSON
1825–1864, Sweden/England

Oil on canvas 48x65 cm. The painting is counterfeit signed copy after an original painting by Marcus Larson, "Burning Steamship" ornamental frame is provided with name plate: Marcus Larsson (1825-64). Typical Marcus Larsson forgery - it is likely that the painting from the beginning, perhaps, been a copy made by an amateur painter and then signed again with Marcus Larson signature and ornamental frame fitted with a name plate indicating that it would be an original painting by Marcus Larson. (Original painting Burning steamboat by Marcus Larson was sold in November 2007 of an Auction houses in Norrköping for 34,000 Swedish crowns.) The painting is part of a major fraud seizures of counterfeit art in Sweden known as ”The Society of Art Friends”: Three men, aged 30, 37, and 40 years old, were caught in Stockholm, Sweden after a reconnaissance tip from police in Ängelholm, Sweden. Shortly afterwards, another two men were caught. In total, 48 house searches were made through out the nation from which 83 forged paintings were confiscated. Forged art had already been sold for millions of Swedish crowns. Victims of the gang were well known businessmen with considerable incomes. League had good help from educated art experts who have written certificate of authenticity to many of the fake paintings, often at very small remuneration. On a door to a flat in Stockholm the men had displayed a sign with the text “The Society of Art Friends”.

Oil on wood panel, 25x30 cm, signed "Marcus Larson". On the back of the painting is a certificate of authenticity: "Certificate of 1 st. oil on canvas 25x30 cm, motives Spring creek in the Norwegian mountains. Painted by Marcus Larson about 1850 attests File Doctor Birger Hultberg, Sundbyberg the 27/3-39. "A check of the municipality showed that someone Birger Hultberg never been in Sundbyberg, Sweden. One can also not find any art expert with this name. The painting's lower right corner has scratches. It has also had another signature and later been signed in the lower left corner. The painting is made ​​by an ignorant amateur executed during the second half of the 1800s. It is not painted by Marcus Larson and any model can not be found. The District Court's judgment: both painting and certificate of authenticity are fakes.

Oil on canvas, 41x58 cm, not signed. Certificate of authenticity been signed on the back of the canvas "Original Painting by Markus Larson declares Gustav Jaensson".