The Art Detective Fakes, Frauds, and Finds and the Search for Lost Treasures

The art world has never seemed quite so treacherous, so beguiling- and so much fun What separates a masterpiece from a piece of junk? Thanks to the BBC's Antiques Roadshowand its American spin-off, everyone is searching garage sales and hunting online for hidden gems, wondering whether their attics contain trash or treasures. In The Art Detective, Philip Mould, one of the world's foremost authorities on British portraiture and an irreverent and delightful expert for the Roadshow, serves up his secrets and his best stories, blending the technical details of art detection and restoration with juicy tales peopled by a range of eccentric collectors, scholars, forgers, and opportunists. Peppered with practical advice, each chapter focuses on one particular painting and the mystery that surrounds it. Mould is our trusty detective, tracking down clues, uncovering human foibles and following hunches until the truth is revealed. Mould is known for his ability to crack the toughest puzzles and whether he's writing about a fake Norman Rockwell, a hidden Rembrandt, or a lost Gainsborough, he brings both the art and the adventure to life. The Art Detectiveis memoir, mystery, art history, and brilliant yarn all rolled into one.

Philip Mould appears regularly on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow and hosted Changing Faces, a TV series about the evolution of portraiture. Affectionately known as "the art detective," he owns a gallery in London, is the art adviser to the British House of Commons and House of Lords, and even sold a painting to the Queen. In recognition of his services to the art world, he was made an Officer of the British Empire in 2005. He is currently filming a major BBC series, Art Sleuth, which follows many of the stories in this book.