1 DECEMBER 1928, Page 3

The sound and fury of the Glozel controversy soon died

down over here, although, we undersfarid, it is by no means considered a chose jugee in 'France. Now there comes news of a still more flagrant imposture in the name of Art. A poor sculptor, Signor. Dossena, living in Rome,. was .discovered to have a genius for reproducing the form and colouring of the old masters and classical work. To him there came an antiquary from Tuscany and an art dealer, in league with one another, proposing that he .should work exclusively for them in return for small but steady payment. He accepted the offer, as many an artist would for the sake of security. These merchanti then proceeded to sell his products as genuine masterpieces, not only to private collectors, but to public museums and galleries in Germany, Austria and America. Apparently many experts and art critics, no less than the ordinary laymari, were satisfied as to the genuineness of these " finds," and it was not until the curator of the Frick Gallery in New York and also the staff of the New York Metropolitan Muse.- um— had their suspicions aroused that agents were asked to look more closely into the matter. Our sympathies are with the sculptor if it be true that he was entirely unconscious of being made an accomplice in colossal frauds.