La Jolla lecture series to explore pitfalls of collecting art

Mark Dahle will present three free lectures on the contemporary art scene at 9 a.m. Saturdays in November at La Jolla Lutheran Church, 7111 La Jolla Blvd.

Dahle has been collecting art for 40 years and painting for 20. Each lecture will be followed by a painting demonstration and workshop at 10 a.m.

• Nov. 12: Art Collecting: Frauds and Thieves. This lecture will help particiapnts become aware of the pitfalls to avoid when collecting art.

• Nov. 19: Art Collecting: Nazis and Greeks. Sometimes when people buy a painting, it still belongs to someone else. “Some of California’s biggest art institutions have purchased art that they later lost in court. This lecture will help people understand why individuals and museums are losing art from their collections to prior owners, and what people can do before they purchase art to minimize the risk,” Dahle said.

• Nov. 26: Art Collecting: Investment Killers. “A painting recently attributed to Leonardo da Vinci was valued at $100 million or more. When people thought it was painted by Leonardo’s best assistant, it sold for $1,000,” Dahle said.

“People don’t have to be collectors to be entertained by these lectures. Because the value of art is so high, cheats, frauds, and scams abound and they make interesting stories. But if people are investing in art, the lectures will have high practical value.”

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