Prince Charles is involved - despite himself - in a scandalous case of false paintings. Its foundation, The Prince's Foundation, has indeed exhibited several copies of Monet, Picasso, and Dalí on the walls of its seat, the Dumfries House, an eighteenth-century Scottish palace. The paintings were loaned to him by James Stunt, a collector, businessman, and friend of the future British sovereign now declared bankrupt and had been estimated at 104 million pounds sterling (120 million euros).
The press service of Prince Charles indicated that the works had been returned to their owner after the revelation by the American copyist Tony Treto that he was the author. "James Stunt asked me to paint imitations for his home," he explained to USA Today. "He recently bought a big house in Los Angeles and another in London. He told me that these paintings would be used to decorate them. "
Tony Treto was sentenced to six months in prison in the early 1990s for making copies of masters' works and portraying them as originals. Since moving to California, he has converted to producing original paintings. "I do not make copies; I make original compositions following the style and technique of famous painters, he told USA Today. These paintings, although excellent, would not withstand a simple inspection . The paint used today, just like the pigments, the frames have nothing to do with those used at the time. "
The painter believes that " Prince Charles is not to blame. " The loans were accepted in good faith by The Prince's Foundation, which did not consider its duty to verify the authenticity of the works, as defended by its spokespersons. James Stunt posted on a video on his Instagram account that the works were genuine while apologizing sincerely to the Prince of Wales. The video is no longer accessible.
Le Journal des arts
