Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why can false documents make an art forgery appear genuine?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Hear about William Henry Ireland's fake manuscripts of William Shakespeare including a letter written to his wife — Forgery A look at a letter supposedly written by William Shakespeare to his wife, Anne Hathaway; it was, in fact, faked by William-Henry Ireland.

False documents can make an art forgery appear genuine by providing fabricated evidence that supports the work's legitimacy. These records are often used to bolster the apparent authenticity of a spurious piece by attesting to its point of origin, its history of ownership (provenance), and the opinions of experts regarding its validity.1

By creating a falsified history, these documents aim to provide a context that aligns with the expectations of collectors and museums, making the object seem like a legitimate discovery rather than a modern creation. However, because historical marks and records can also be forged, provenance research alone is not sufficient to determine authenticity. A careful examination of these documents is often required to detect the underlying fraud, as they are frequently used to mislead potential buyers about the work's true background and value.21