Authenticity Of Claimed Old Masters Doubted

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29058, 21 November 1959, Page 13

Authenticity Of Claimed Old Masters Doubted

. HOLLYWOOD, November 20. Two American art experts have expressed doubts about the authenticity of the 10 paintings, claimed to be old masters worth up to £3,570,000, found under the bed of a television repairman in Pasadena, California.

Mr Richard Brown, head of the Los Angeles County Art Museum, and Mr Robert Wark, of the Huntington Library and Museum, said they believed it impossible that such fragile works of the Italian Renaissance period could have been restored in such a short time as claimed by Alexander Zlatoff-Mirsky, a Chicago art restorer.

The paintings are said to have been discovered under the bed of Alfonso Folio, an Italian migrant. They were found by Mr Charles di Renzo, a businessman, who called in M r ZlatoffMirsky. Included in the discovery, which Mr Zlatoff-Mirsky called "the greatest find of this century.” was a painting of Mary Magdalene by Caravaggio.

News of the find was disclosed at a press conference in the office of the famous criminal lawyer, Jerry Giesler. Giesler was retained by Mr dl Renzo, owner of a Rosemead, California, building supply store, who became interested in the paintings. Mr di Renzo said the paintings were brought here 14 years ago

by Mr Folio’s sister, Mrs Maria Hataburda, also of Pasadena.

Mr Folio himself immigrated from Naples, Italy, two years ago. Mr di Renzo said the paintings had been in the possession of the FoUo family for generations and the family was unaware that they were masterpieces. The Folios believed they were originally in the possession of their great grand-uncle, Cardinal Senna-Antonio, who died in 1887.

The prelate had Inherited the paintings from a cousin. Nicola Santore, Bourbon judge and secretary to Ferdinando, King Of Naples, Mr di Renzo said. Mr di Renzo, who is also an Italian, said Mr Folio showed the paintings to him one night. “They gave me a terrific impact. I am not an art expert, but I am a lover of art.” he said. “I knew that they were, the work of masters.” Mr di Renzo said he signed a contract with the Folios to underwrite the promotion and restoration of the paintings. "Some of the paintings were on stretchers in the bedroom,” Mr di Renzo said. "Others were rolled up under the bed.”