Fake or Fortune?

This is a fantastic series investigating where artworks came from. Even my Dad is hooked and he's not usually into art. There are so many twists and turns from the back stories, historical and scientific research.

An upmarket version of Flog It!, Dickinson's Real deal etc. Where fortunes can be decided upon by one person or a small group of experts. I am often puzzled when the decision by the expert(s) is "fake" when I'm convinced that it's "fortune", but what do I know, not a lot probably. The viewer's interest is kept going from the start to the big reveal at the finish.

Whether you like art or not this programme is fascinating. Love to see how they X-ray the paintings and analyse the paint to figure out if it's by the artist. So annoying when the verdict hangs on one person though!

A friend tipped me off about this show and I have been addicted to it ever since. I've seen all episodes and waiting for Season 10 to be announced. The series is basically a detective show to determine the authenticity of a given artwork presented. Both hosts are very engaging and welcome the viewer into the art world. Unfortunately one of the experts, Bendor Grovesnor was also very good but left the show a few year ago. The show has suffered in his absence so hopefully he will come back.

Every episode is like the best Columbo, Law and Order, and Perry Mason you have ever seen rolled into one. Deeply respect Fiona, Phillip, and Bendor's calm as they go through the ups and downs of each investigation...and we learn about the great works of art and the artists as they investigate. The bonus is...everything you see is real, no scripts.

One episode a masterpiece was found by a junkyard...another someone has had decades and tracking it trail of ownership or provenance is really quite fascinating...

Highly recommended.