Portrait of an Unknown Woman was published by Harper in 2022. An art dealer is found dead in a London canal, and the investigation reveals a sophisticated forgery operation: dozens of fake Old Master paintings, expertly executed, have been sold through legitimate galleries and auction houses to unsuspecting collectors. Allon investigates not as a spy but as an art world insider — and discovers that the scale of the fraud threatens the integrity of the entire market.
The novel is the most art-focused entry in the series, and it allows Silva to explore the question that underlies Allon’s dual identity: what is the relationship between authenticity and value? A perfect forgery is, aesthetically, identical to the original — the only difference is provenance, story, the knowledge of who made it. Silva uses this philosophical problem to generate a thriller that is also a meditation on the nature of art itself.
Allon recruits a legendary forger to help identify the fakes — a partnership between the restorer (who preserves) and the forger (who deceives) that mirrors Allon’s own dual nature.
The Forgery Problem
Art forgery is far more prevalent than the market acknowledges. Estimates suggest that between 10% and 40% of works in major collections may be forged or misattributed. The novel’s depiction of how sophisticated forgeries enter the market — through manufactured provenance, complicit experts, and the market’s own desire to believe — is based on real cases, including the Beltracchi scandal in Germany and the Knoedler Gallery scandal in New York.
Collecting Portrait of an Unknown Woman
First edition (Harper, New York, 2022): Boards with dust jacket.
Approximate market values:
- Fine in dust jacket: $15–$25
- Signed first edition: $40–$120
Projected values (2026–2036): Modest. Signed copies should reach $80–$250.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this more art novel than spy novel? Yes. It is the most art-focused entry since The English Assassin and may be the purest art-world novel in the series. Espionage plays a supporting role.
Are the forgery techniques described realistic? Yes. Silva’s descriptions of how forgers age canvases, replicate period-appropriate pigments, and construct false provenance documents are consistent with documented techniques used by real forgers.