1 CD, Robin Simon, art historian. The CD consists of 1 track.
[0:00-0:23] [Crowd noises], [0:024-2:03] General introduction by Adam Chadwick, [2:04-4:04] Robin Simon introduced by Alastair Lack giving a brief biography. [4:05-5:01] Simon talks about the Art of Cricket in 1983, how the scheme came about and restoring Playing Out Time by Frank Batson, [5:02-6:33] Simon talks about conversation with Alastair Lack on Lord's pavilion paintings being fakes, how an Exact Representation of the Game of Cricket in the Tate is a fake, [6:34-8:20] Simon talks about how the MCC fakes were mainly painted by one artist and how they were purchased by Sir Jeremiah Colman, [8:21-9:07] Simon talks about the fake date range of paintings but clearly by the same forger, [9:08-10:41] Simon talks about Colman's collecting methods and workings with his dealer.
[10:42-14:06] Simon talks about forgers inadequacies in paintings and characteristics of the Colman forger, pointing out a selection of paintings, [14:07-17:22] Simon talks about the difficulty in proving provenance of paintings and how forgers get around this, providing examples from the Colman forger, [17:23-19:43] Simon jokes about being cheered up by hearing Australia are 6 for 2 in a match, highlights some of his favourite forgeries.
[19:44-23:08] Simon talks about forgeries having two styles and two provenances, how the Colman forger used an air of authenticity by naming a specific a match and set in a well-known location and how some paintings are derived from originals, [22:08-25:18] Simon highlights Charles Dickens Bowling a First Ball at Gad's hill which based on documentary evidence and was an early work of the forger sold through Sotheby's and contacted Dickens' son who said the match could have taken place, [25:19-26:32] Simon talks how the forger went further and painted a painting involving Henry Dickens with glaring mistakes, [26:33-28:28] Simon talks about coming across another forgery at Sotheby's in 1994 but was golf rather than cricket.
[28:29-30:20] Simon talks about the news coming out of MCC fakes in 1983 and how it was reported, [30:21-30:41] Simon talks about the importance of treating cricket records with care but visual information from paintings can be used to pick apart myths, [30:42-34:01] Simon talks about the Hambledon Club and its rules and customs.
[34:02-37:12] Simon talks about betting traditions going on to talk about the life of the 3rd Duke of Dorset, [37:13-38:59] Simon talks about the similarities between cricket and horse racing epitomised by Lord Frederick Beauclerk, [39:00-41:34] Simon talks about the Francis Hayman painting from 1744 and the evolution of umpire positions.
[41:35-46:14] Simon talks about individual cricket portraits from 1740's and such how they can represent clothing, equipment, and style of play and highlighting some examples, [46:15-48:19] Simon talks about the cricket drawings by George Frederick Watts of Nicholas Felix, [48:20-49:23] Simon talks about Thomas Hudson's portrait groups and poetry under certain paintings, [49:24-52:58] Simon talks about how the evolution in cricket bats were represented in paintings.
[52:59-55:06] Simon talks about how the representation of cricket in art changed during the 19th century, [55:07-55:49] Simon talks about heroic individual portraits, [55:50-57:24] Simon talks about how representation of cricket became less scientific and more of mood, [57:25-58:13] Simon mentions MCC's buy and commissioning of paintings and goes on to pick out some modern favourites, [58:14-59:27] Simon says there’s ample works of art to celebrate cricket despite the fakes, Simon talks about Major Roland Bowen chopping off his own ties and dying, ending with the quite from 3rd Duke of Dorset "what is life but a game of cricket", [59.28-59:50 Applause].
[59:50-1:00:22] Statement Simon will take questions, [1:00:23-1:01:00] Simon talks about not knowing the identity of the Colman forger, [1:01:01-1:01:59] Simon says he’s not familiar with Gerry's Wright paintings and modern representations are ok, [1:02:00-1:02:52] Simon says there’s little value in the forgeries and refuses to say what has happened to them, [1:02:53-1:04:17] Simon talks about how modern cricketers are represented in paintings, [1:04:18-1:06:30] Simon talks about some of his favourite cricket paintings, [1:06:31-1:07:19] Simon talks about the number of cricket paintings in Kent, [1:07:20-1:07:53] Simon talks about a Hambledon painting and how playing area was wrong way, [1:07:54-1:08:47] Simon talks about earliest painting in pavilion which is on loan. [1:08:48-1:10:12] Alastair Lack talks about Bat and Ball Inn, brief mention Colman forgeries and thanks Simon for his talk, [1:10:13-1:11:57] Applause and background murmuring.