Red, black and silver

This work can be called one of the most acclaimed paintings of Jackson Pollock. Of course, if it really was painted by his hand. "Red, black and silver" painting was the subject of a long-lasting war between the artist's mistress, Ruth Kligman and his widow Lee Krasner. Kligman claimed that the painting was the last work that the artist painted before his death. Moreover, she claimed that she saw him painting it, and when the painting was completed, Pollock gave it to his beloved with the words: "Here's your painting, your own Pollock". Krasner insisted that the artist stopped painting long before death, and this painting was nothing more than a fake, and not very skillful one.

Until recently, it was very hard to verify the authenticity of the painting. Krasner created the Council  to inspect the authenticity of the Pollock's paintings, and it has not still recognize this painting as the artist's work. In favor of their conclusion is the absence of Pollock's signature an the palette that is unusual for Pollock. Kligman, who over her lifetime has contributed a lot of famous painters to her "don Juan list",  has been fighting with the Council until her death in 2010, as she tried to prove the authenticity of the picture.

And only now, when all the participants of this story have already deceased, the independent forensic examination linked "Red, black and silver" to Pollock. Forensic expert Nicolas Petraco found not only polar bear wool from the rug in the artist's house, the soil particles that are typical for the area, but also the hair of the Pollock. According to Petraco, these findings are more than convincing. Whatever it was, the fate of the painting has not been resolved so far.

If the authenticity is confirmed by other experts, the canvas may be auctioned for at least $ 60 million, and the notoriety may not raise its price to record highs.

Author: Evgeniya Sidelnikova