Alceo Dossena

One of the sculptures of Dossena, depicting the Madonna with the Child Alceo Dossena (born October 8, 1878, October 11, 1937) is an Italian sculptor, one of the most famous artifacts in history.

He came from Cremona, and in 1916 he came to Rome. He lived in poverty, working in a small workshop on the Tiber. His unexpected career began when he sold a marble relief with the representation of the Virgin Mary for the 100 lire to the goldsmith and art dealer Alfred Fasoli. Beans, after learning about Dossena's talent, later sold the work for a much higher sum as a monument. Later, he dragged the unconscious artist to cooperate, ordering him another sculpture imitating antique, medieval and renaissance works, which he continued selling without the knowledge of their creator. Dossena's artistry made it difficult to recognize fakes, his style was reminiscent of works by such masters as Giovanni Pisano, Mino da Fiesole and Simone Martini, and the most eminent experts of the time could not discern that they were contemporary artists. For his orders he received modest remuneration, while the customers sold sculptures for the amount of thousands of lire.

The affair with false works came to light after the death of Dossena's wife in May 1927. Without money, the artist went to one of his clients at the request of an advance, where he met with refusal. On the other hand, he learned about the trade of his works as alleged monuments by the deceitful profits of him. As a result, he became publicly known as their creator, exposing the intermediaries who had earned on counterfeiting. Dossena's spent and deprived income has died in a Roman homestead for the poor.

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