Antonio M Blanco obvious fake?

Hi all,

I picked this up from the charity shop. It's an obvious fake, right? Just double checking.. They have used tipex/whiteout on the "certificate of authenticity", the frame looks new, the paper doesn't look right (it's not arches paper?) and there are errors on the information about the edition it is 125/140 and on the back it says 140/140.


Thanks for the help

 

Hi Samuel! Did you forget something? Or are you having trouble uploading pictures?

 

A bit of both but mainly the former, Ha.

 

not sure how to delete this double post?

 

Use the edit function for your first post and delete the extras.

 

I didn't have the patience to explore this: http://www.blancobali.co.id/

Does the COA seem like it is a photocopy? Wondering if someone in the office didn't have blanks, so photocopied one already filled in, whited out the info, stuck it in the typewriter & put in the new stuff. May not have understood what was supposed to go in the blank for Authorised numbered edition. They used a capital I in place of the numeral 1. The stamp is what is supposed to really attest authenticity.

 

Thanks. I suppose the COA does look like it might have been photocopied. But the print also seems very low quality.. and I’m not sure that the signature matches either..

http://www.blancomuseum.damaryo.com/litographs.html#litographs

Finally, my “limited edition” lithograph is also for sale in the above link as far as I can tell..

 

I was just posting the same link. If 140 were made, why does it seem suspicious for them to have one?

 

Another page has Eve's Apple Was Still Intact. It's the third I've seen taking up Eve & Apple.

http://www.blancomuseum.damaryo.com/masterpiece.html#masterpiece

Yours has been framed in that same arched way when it wouldn't have to be. Think I saw a mention that Blanco designed frames as well.

 

Thanks again. What about the terrible quality paper, the margins the way they are, and the fact that it was folded over to fit in the frame (see line in paper).

I’m starting to think you may be right about all of this btw..

 

I think what you can't be completely sure of is that there were never more than 140 made & stone was effaced after. But we don't know what the quality is of the others. Let's ask @Any Jewelry if she can tell us anything about typical quality of Indonesian lithography. The web sites make Blanco sound like a cult figure but seems more like an industry. My feeling is that there is no reason to think your print is not genuine. The main argument is, who would bother forging it?

 

what framer in their right mind would fold it....???

 

An Indonesian one that didn't see any point in showing all that white space at the bottom. The Blanco Art Foundation seems part shrine, part factory.

 

but the white space is not all white...there's an issue number and siggy......so if you're gonna fold it...fold it below that.........unless.......that's the only frame you have.....and need it to fit inside !

that said...I have issues with the frame...and it's hardware...

 

I think in fact they supply the frames as well as the prints and frames may not be custom made each time. When I said it was part factory, I meant that despite their professed reverence for Blanco, their attitude to the product is rather casual.

 

downright destructive !!!!!!!

 

Maybe they figure they can always make another. I think there is just a different idea of how to handle art work appropriately. After all, they didn't cut off everything below the fold.

 

Bali is not characteristic of Indonesia.
When it comes to present day Bali, nothing surprises me. The whole world gathers there to make money, whichever way they can, so you can come across anything.

 

If it is arches paper, it should have a watermark identifying it.

 

I had the pleasure of meeting Antonio Blanco in his studio in Ubud, Bali back in the mid-1970's when I was a much younger man. I have been back to his studio, now museum, a few times and most recently in July. I think his flamboyant, but realistic and evocative painting style, has a timeless and romantic beauty.
Unfortunately, his signature is also quite flamboyant and I can find a number of distinct variations over time. The common style seems to be a rather long and level signature, despite the flourishes and swirls.
The signature on your image looks more genuine to me but the one in the folded margin does not. Could that have been for practice? Or it could have been a family/staff member in the museum authenticating this image or a fraudster.
The CoA definitely looks suspect to me, but how did they type over the white-out? The studio stamp looks genuine and does cross over the CoA. But how did they remove it and replace it so carefully? I can't see they could have typed over it while stuck to the back. As Bronwen said, the I versus the 1 is also a concern. And if they had blank CoA, why use white-out?
Blanco did paint in a number of other Asian counties at different times, particularly the Philippines, but I can't find a reference to Singapore. So the alarm bells are sounding.
The 125 on the back of the frame I don't think implies an edition number, so 140/140 could be right but suspect. (Just noticed the 125/140 near the cut-off margin. sorry.)The frame hanger is definitely new but the frame itself looks of the period and the wood seems to be of the lightweight, cheap quality found in carved Bali frames. Blanco was renowned for using all sorts of frames and materials and even painted his frames as part of the picture.
His wife, Ni Ronji, was a famous Balinese dancer. There are several of his works with the name "Eve" one called "Eve and the Apple", which I have attached as the last image. I can't find any paintings with your title, except your post has already made it to Google.
Samuel, you didn't say if it was an original watercolour, painting or a print and what made you think the paper wasn't right? The Museum in Ubud produces various lithographs of his work.
Of course, it could be a fake, it could be "in the style of" or could be one of the thousands of sketches he produced preparing for his main works.
I have attached a few of the most modest images so others can judge his signature and further add to the discussion. Best of Luck in your search.