Processate elia volpi: alcuni documenti sul commercio del falso tra italia e stati uniti
di Federica Gastaldello
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Elia Volpi was born on 25th march 1858 in Colle Plinio. He studied as painter at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, until understood that he wouldn’t gain any success with this work and so he started to work as restorer and antiquarian. This article analyses his role of antique dealer often involved in the commerce of counterfeit works of art. In particular it will focus the attention to the lawsuit that broke out in New York between 1917 and 1919 for the sale of two forged paintings filed by Jackson Johnson against E. Volpi. In the second part the focus will be moved on other three examples of sales, always conducted by the Florentine antique dealer, related to the commerce in false sculptures, attributed to Alceo Dossena, to the United States. Through these examples it will be possible understand the difference and the dissimilarities in the trade of counterfeit works of art.