Artist Peter Doig Denies Authenticity of Painting in Federal Court

In a federal court case on Monday, Scottish artist Peter Doig took the stand to prove that he did not create a 40-year-old painting signed "Pete Doige".

Lawyer for the owner, William F. Zieske, said in his opening statement that evidence will prove that the painting is "indeed the work of Peter Doig." Placing the work on an easel, Zieske proclaimed, "This is not a work painted by someone with no artistry or no artistic talent. It is a work of master artistic talent."

Doig denies that he painted the work. Robert Fletcher and art dealer Peter Bartlow filed the lawsuit in 2013 when Doig refused to authenticate the painting. Fletcher and Bartlow are seeking $5m in damages and a declaration that the work is authentic.

Doig told The Times in an interview that when he first saw a photograph of the "Pete Doige" painting, he said, "...Nice painting... Not by me."

In court papers, he went on, "I did not begin to paint on canvas until late 1979..... If I had painted that painting when I was 16, I would admit it."

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