Art Detectives: Forgery, Provenance, and the Science of Authentication
50+ OLLI Program
$75
The art world may appear glamorous, but deception often lies beneath the surface. After weapons and drugs, art is the third most lucrative illicit trade, with reports suggesting that more than half of artworks are fake or misattributed. In this course, we will ask: When is a copy simply a copy, and when is it a forgery? What techniques do master forgers use? What can science tell us about art authenticity? We will uncover riveting stories of criminal art activity and master forgeries.
Christine Maasdam holds a master’s in humanities and a bachelor’s in cultural geography. Maasdam studied art at The Courtauld Institute, the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center, and the University of Glasgow. She trained in art crime investigation and is a member of the International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection. She holds Sotheby’s certifications in art law and appraisal, serves as a museum education docent, and has volunteered on archaeological projects in Israel.
| Class ID | 44344 |
| Start Date | September 28, 2026 |
| End Date | November 02, 2026 |
| Delivery | Online |
| Location | n/a |
| Total Hours | 9.0 |
| CEUs | 0.0 |
| Session | Date | Time | Location | Delivery | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Monday, 09/28/2026 | 01:00 PM - 02:30 PM | n/a | Online | Christine Maasdam |
| 02 | Monday, 10/05/2026 | 01:00 PM - 02:30 PM | n/a | Online | Christine Maasdam |
| 03 | Monday, 10/12/2026 | 01:00 PM - 02:30 PM | n/a | Online | Christine Maasdam |
| 04 | Monday, 10/19/2026 | 01:00 PM - 02:30 PM | n/a | Online | Christine Maasdam |
| 05 | Monday, 10/26/2026 | 01:00 PM - 02:30 PM | n/a | Online | Christine Maasdam |
| 06 | Monday, 11/02/2026 | 01:00 PM - 02:30 PM | n/a | Online | Christine Maasdam |
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