Originali e copie. ‘Modelli’ di autenticità per l’arte moderna e l’arte classica

This paper examines the applicability of the so-called ‘standard model of authenticity’, developed by philosophers in the mid-sixties, to art objects within the modern Western fine-art context. This model asserts that authenticity, denoting an object’s undisputed origin, is a prerequisite for attributing value to art, particularly in a framework where authorship and uniqueness are pivotal to art appreciation. While effective within the modern Western context, where these factors hold significance, we argue that the serial nature of Classical Art and the less defined concept of the author in Greco-Roman society challenge the universal suitability of this view. We contend that factors such as the replacement of lost originals, the iterability of iconographic schemes, the existence of multiple originals, the artistic value of copies, the communal nature of art, and the blurred conceptual boundaries between the author and copyist (characterizing a ‘classic model of authenticity’) have significant implications for the perception, manipulation, trade, display, and appreciation of art in ancient Greece and Rome. These elements should also guide our approaches to preserving, researching, exhibiting, and perceiving Classical art objects in contemporary contexts.