Zurich Lectures in East Asian Art History by Ishibashi Foundation Visiting Scholar Prof. Dr. Julie Nelson Davis

Prof. Dr. Julie Nelson Davis (University of Pennsylvania)

Monday, October 26, 2026, 18:15–19:45
University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 59, Room RAA-G-15
Flyer (PDF, 560 KB)

Abstract: 

On April 26, 1934, the morning edition of the Asahi Shinbun announced the “world’s greatest discovery”: a private collection of ukiyo-e paintings, including two works by the elusive Sharaku, valued at a fortune. Weeks later, the collection was exposed in the media as an elaborate fraud. This talk examines one of the most notorious forgery scandals in the history of ukiyo-e, now known as the Shunpōan Incident (春峯庵事件). Drawing on newspaper coverage, trial records, and the auction catalogue itself, this presentation reveals how a family of skilled painters, complicit dealers, and a prominent scholar-connoisseur combined to manufacture, authenticate, and sell dozens of fabricated paintings under the names of celebrated Edo-period artists. It further traces how the forgers built their paintings from available print sources, recruited experts to lend credibility, and how the scheme ultimately unraveled. The scale of their production likely extended well beyond what has previously been acknowledged—with implications for paintings that remain in public and private collections today. This case raises enduring questions about connoisseurship, market desire, and the fragile boundary between authenticity and desire for masterpiece. 

This lecture is organized with special support from the Ishibashi Foundation.