Forgeries and Networks (ForNet). The Mittheilungen des Museen-Verbandes and forgery networks in the 20th century

The project “Forgeries and Networks (ForNet). The Mittheilungen des Museen-Verbandes and forgery networks in the 20th century” (Funded by the German Research Foundation. Project number 531800604.) analyzes the Mittheilungen des Museen-Verbandes (1899–1939), a journal of museum officials combating art forgery. Using digitized texts, the team converts entries into structured data via XML and a graph database, enabling network analysis of over 3,300 artworks, 1,700 individuals, and 800 institutions. By applying historical network methods, the project reveals key figures, institutional networks, and patterns of secrecy in early 20th-century forgery detection. This project showcases the ability of digital tools to reveal hidden historical dynamics, bridging the gap between art history and digital humanities.

Project website