Possible Fraud Goya Pulled From Madrid Auction

Monday, 01 January 2007 11:11

Madrid, Spain - The work “Saints Adoring the Holy Sacrament” that was previously attributed to Francisco de Goya was removed from auction by Spanish police because there were doubts about its authenticity.  It was to be auctioned by Lamas Bolaño, in Madrid with a starting price of 1.2 million euros.  The work measures 57 x 70 cm and belongs to a private collector and has a certificate of authenticity issued by José Manuel Arnáiz y Asociados and a chemical analysis of the pigments signed by Enrique Parra.  There are also x-rays of the work and a technical study by Antonio Perales.

The work is currently in police offices waiting to be examined later by art experts at Museo del Prado to give a full report to the judge.  According to the police one of the certificates of authenticity is false.  Agents acted to head off "a possible major fraud," police said, adding experts doubted the painting was by Goya.

Francisco Goya, one of Spain's most renowned painters, who influenced much modern painting, died in 1828. Much of his work is displayed in Madrid's Prado museum.  ( Reuters )