On the Significance of Giovanni Morelli’s Works for the Development of Forensic Identification and Diagnostic Study of Fine Art Objects
https://doi.org/10.30764/1819-2785-2021-3-105-115
Abstract
The 19th-century Italian art critic Giovanni Morelli contributed significantly to the theory and practice of attribution of paintings by prominent Renaissance masters. His methods, based on the profound knowledge of human anatomy and the analysis of artists’ professional skills, influenced not only the history of visual arts but also the development of forensic science, forensic medicine, the theory of psychoanalysis, and the practice of psychotherapy. The article provides the analysis of Giovanni Morelli’s scientific heritage for the identification and attribution of the works of fine art and for solving forensic tasks requiring the investigation of human skills and habits.
Morelli’s methods and the capabilities of a comprehensive forensic study of artistic and cultural values with the involvement of the appropriate instrumental base and specialized knowledge in the field of art history, forensic traceology, and materials science, as well as digital technologies, can significantly increase the reliability of the results of attribution activities of museums, art scientists, experts of world auction houses and amateur collectors.
About the Author
Shamil N. Khaziev
The Russian Federal Centre of Forensic Science of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Khaziev Shamil Nikolaevich – Doctor of Law, Associate Professor, Principal Researcher at the Forensic Research Methodology Department in the System of Forensic Institutions of the Russian
Ministry of Justice
Moscow 109028
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Review
For citations:
Khaziev Sh.N. On the Significance of Giovanni Morelli’s Works for the Development of Forensic Identification and Diagnostic Study of Fine Art Objects. Theory and Practice of Forensic Science. 2021;16(3):105-115. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.30764/1819-2785-2021-3-105-115
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