ATTRIBUTED TO ALCEO DOSSENA (1878–1937), EARLY 20TH CENTURY

Alceo Dossena was one of the greatest master forgers of all time. Apparently unbeknown to Dossena, his dealer, Alfredo Fasoli, sold many of his creations to museums and collectors as authentic antiques, most famously a marble tomb to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts as an original work by Mino da Fiesole (c. 1429-1484). In 1928 Dossena revealed himself and sued his dealers, at the same time exposing a number of his works, which had been purchased by major international museums. In the current Adoration relief the figures compare closely to a number of works by the artist that were sold at the National Art Galleries in the Hotel Plaza, New York, 9 March 1933, and the tree in the background is replicated in several other works, including a Noli me tangere bequeathed to the Fogg Art Museum (Sox, loc. cit.).