Pace Gallery was duped into purchasing a fraudulent Georges Seurat drawing for $2 million last November, the contemporary art juggernaut is claiming.
On May 10th, the gallery sued seller Jean-Pierre Seurat and others allegedly working on his behalf, saying that Seurat, who Pace discovered after the sale took place was erroneously passing himself off as the artist’s grandson, used misleading, irrelevant and outright fraudulent documents to convince Pace of the drawing’s authenticity.
With “willful malice and abuse and intent to damage,” the lawsuit says, Seurat ensured the deal with the aid of art dealer and consultant Constance H. Schwartz, former Director and Chief Curator of the Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn Harbor and a professional who’s been “involved in all phases of museum activity.” The Daily Beast reached out to Seurat and Schwartz for comment.
ADVERTISEMENT
The work at the center of the dispute is The Follower [Le Suiveur], an 1882 conté crayon drawing of a man and a woman in an evening boulevard scene, documents sent to Pace claimed. On his website, the seller touts himself as the artist's “distant cousin;” Pace alleged that he claimed to them to be the artist’s grandson with express intent to defraud.
The drawing attributed to Seurat that was determined to be fake.
Courtesy of Aaron Richard Golub on behalf of Pace GallerySchwartz, also named as a defendant, contacted Pace last summer with an enticing offer, the lawsuit claims: Schwartz said she was in touch with an anonymous collector in France who might be interested in parting with a Seurat, and if the gallery “dealt correctly,” other treasures might soon be up for grabs.
Once the deal was in motion, Schwartz send a PDF to Pace containing counterfeit images and documents meant to verify the drawing’s authenticity, the lawsuit states. Among the documents, Pace claims, were items that falsely demonstrated that the artwork originated from the collection of Félix Fénéon, a famed collector and critic who staunchly supported Seurat.
The materials provided by Schwartz “imitate museum documentation,” said attorney Aaron Richard Golub, Pace’s representative. “What’s unique about this case is the fake was sold by somebody who we believe is faking the idea of even being related to Seurat,” Golub said. “Not only is the drawing fake, but the seller seems to be a fake Seurat too.”
The allegedly falsified certificates of authenticity sent to the gallery include a typed message attributed to “Ms. Smeets Sand Dudevant, Fénéon’s granddaughter.”
The note reads: “I certify that I own by inheritance from my father Pierre La Brely, expert for French customs, this charcoal drawing by Georges Seurat (1859-1891)–The Follower—A man in a night-time landscape, in a top hat, is following a young woman in a hat. This piece is framed, visible part 23 x 18 cm. On the back of the frame, my father handwrote two notes in pencil: ‘Seurat. The follower. Original charcoal signed at the bottom on the left—has been affixed—former collection (Félix Fénéon)’ and another expert appraisal note: ‘I certify that this charcoal drawing comes from the collections of Felix Fénéon. It has not been included in any public sale. It has always remained in the family. LA BRELY-FENEON, Expert for French customs.’
“My father himself owned this work by inheritance from Félix Fénéon, art critic, director of La Revue Blanche and then merchant of paintings well known in the art world. Félix Fénéon was the cousin of my grandfather, on my mother’s side.”
Art dealer Fabian Dournaux, attorney Mark B. Goldstein, his professional association Mark B. Goldstein, P.A. and 10 other John Does are also named in the suit as defendants. The Daily Beast reached out to Dournaux and Goldstein for comment.
