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Why is intent to deceive essential in identifying an art forgery?

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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.

In the context of art, the "intent to deceive" is the fundamental criterion that distinguishes a forgery from other forms of reproduction or artistic creation. Identifying this intent is essential because the act of copying a work, or creating a piece "in the style of" a specific artist or historical period, is not inherently fraudulent.1

Without the requirement of deceptive intent, many legitimate artistic practices would be misclassified as forgeries, including:

Copies for study: Reproductions made in good faith for educational purposes.1
Stylistic homage: Works created in the style of a recognized master or era without claiming to be an original.1
Restoration: Significant work performed by a restorer to repair a damaged piece is not considered forgery.1
Historical replicas: Ancient practices, such as Roman sculptors creating replicas of Greek works to satisfy market demand, were often not intended to deceive buyers into believing they were contemporary originals.12

Ultimately, forgery is defined by the deliberate attempt to misrepresent a work’s origin, age, or authorship—usually for financial gain—rather than the mere existence of a copy.12