|
Is this fraud?
I received the following question from someone who shall remain unnamed about an artist that shall remain unnamed. Anyone who has relevant information, please comment:
Let's say a client pays for a commissioned portrait to be done by a famous artist and that artist accepts the commission. Obviously, the client expects that their painting will be done by that artist, right? And how would it work if that artist decides to have someone other than himself paint that painting -- for less or no money -- and is going to try and pass it off as his. In other words, he's not going to tell the client that he had someone else paint it or paint on it.
I know in the distant past there were art studios and several artists/apprentices might work on one piece under the guidance of the master. However, as I understand it, the clients were informed when it was a "studio piece" as opposed to an original by the master. Is that what you recall? But if the master fails to inform the client that the expensive original that they've commissioned to have done by the master is in fact not an exclusive original, isn't that fraud?
|