Scotland's Fake Botticelli

A "priceless" Botticelli masterpiece bought by the National Galleries of Scotland may have been painted by a little-known Belgian artist, it has emerged. "Every penny" the Galleries possessed was used to buy Botticelli's The Portrait of a Youth in 1933, which was hailed as a coup for the national collection. But a damning technical report in the 1950s showed it used a paint not invented until 300 years after Botticelli's death, triggering a Cold War-style cover-up. One expert now believes that the true painter was Albert Philippot, a Belgian artist and art restorer, who came from a family famous for producing perfect imitations of classic masterpieces. Tantalisingly, the 1952 report on the painting which sealed its fate is missing. For the full story - click the title Irish Art