Collectors, scholars, and forgers in the ancient world : object lessons

305 Pages·2017·14.848 MB·English

by  Higbie, Carolyn

COLLECTORS, SCHOLARS, AND FORGERS
IN THE ANCIENT WORLD

Collectors, Scholars,
and Forgers in the
Ancient World
Object Lessons
CAROLYN HIGBIE
1
3
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To the musicians in my life—
Timothy, Elspeth, and Alisdair
Joe Corral
Laura Grube
Robbie Hausmann
Joan Huffer
Sue Keeling
Bill Larsen
Erik Mueller-Harder
Charles J. Smith
Max Zelikman

Acknowledgements
I am grateful to family, friends, colleagues, and institutions for the
helpthattheyhavegivenmeoverthemanyyearsithastakenmeto
complete this book. Colleagues in the University at Buffalo Classics
Department made bibliographical suggestions and offered ideas that
have improved my work. Zachariah J. Mandell agreed to be my
research assistant in the final stages of the project and his cheerful
effortsandhisenthusiasmhelpedmetofinishthework.DavideSalvo
cheerfully corresponded with Italian museums on my behalf. Emilie
Redwood read through the manuscript one summer and offered
suggestions.
GregNagywasawonderfulseniorcolleaguetomeduringtheyears
IwasatHarvardandhehascontinuedtobeagenerousfriend.
Adrienne Mayor, Bill Willers, Carol Mattusch, and Peter Van
Alfen all responded generously to e-mail pleas for help from me, a
strangertothem.Iamgratefulfortheirwillingnesstoassistme.Bob
andJaneBazemorehelpedtoproofreadthebook—thankyou.
TheUniversityatBuffaloCollegeofArtsandSciencesgrantedme
leavetimetospendayearattheNationalHumanitiesCenter,where
IwassupportedbytheRobertF.andMargaretS.GoheenFellowship
(2003–4). In2011I enjoyedafellowship attheUniversityat Buffalo
HumanitiesInstitute.
Hilary O’Shea at Oxford University Press encouraged me to
explore this topic. Since she retired, Charlotte Loveridge, Georgina
Leighton,andtheircolleaguesatOxfordUniversityPresshavetrans-
formed the manuscript into a book. I am very grateful to Manuela
Tecusanforhercarefuleditingofmywork.

OUPCORRECTEDPROOF–FINAL,11/1/2017,SPi
Table of Contents
ListofIllustrations xi
ANoteonAbbreviations xvii
Introduction 1
Ayear(andmore)ofcollecting,scholarship,andfakes 1
Thelonginterestinforgery 2
Myownapproachtothestudyofforgery 6
Definitionsofforgery 11
1. Collectors,Collecting,andCollections 21
Anintroductiontoancientcollectingandcollections 25
Foreigncollectors:Croesus 32
Foreigncollectors:Xerxes 35
Greekcollectors:oracles,writing,andforgery 38
Aristotle 44
AlexandertheGreat 46
CollectorsintheHellenisticera 52
Romancollectors 57
Collecting,scholarship,andforgery 75
2. VisualForgeries 79
Introduction 82
Signatures 85
Connoisseurship 98
Famousnamesandtheartworkofthepast 101
Romancollectors:originalsandcopies 110
Thedevelopmentalviewofart 118
Forgeryandforgeries 125
3. TextualForgeries 132
Therelicsofpoets 137
Autographmanuscripts 143
Education,literaryplay,analysis,andforgery 147
Theeffectsofdisseminatingtexts 155
Forgery,authentication,anderudition 160
Documentaryforgeries 164