Xiao Yuan
Xiao Yuan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1957 or 1958 (age 67–68) |
| Occupation | Librarian |
| Years active | 2004–2006 |
| Employer | Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts |
| Known for | Art forgery |
| Title | Chief Librarian at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts |
| Term | 2003–2010 |
| Criminal charges | Corruption |
Xiao Yuan is a Chinese academic and forger who served as the Chief Librarian of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts from 2004 to 2010.
He was tried in 2015 for stealing 143 paintings from the school library and replacing them with forgeries.[1] He sold 125 of the paintings at auction, profiting over 34 million yuan (equivalent to about $6 million United States dollars).[2] Additionally, 11 of the remaining paintings were valued at over 70 million yuan (equivalent to about $11 million United States dollars).[1]
Yuan defended himself by saying that many paintings had already been stolen and forged when he arrived at the university and began digitizing its collection in 2003.[3]
References
- ^ a b "Master Forger Swaps 143 Artworks with His Own". Artnet News. 2015-07-21. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ^ "China librarian busted replacing masterpiece paintings with forgeries, which were replaced with forgeries - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 2015-07-21. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ^ Ramzy, Austin (2015-07-22). "Out-Faking the Fakers: Chinese Librarian Proud of Forged Masters". Sinosphere Blog. Retrieved 2025-11-03.