Overview

We value the “real thing.” We pay millions for a painting by Rembrandt, but almost nothing for a perfect copy. We praise a musician for being “authentic” and criticize them for “selling out.” Authenticity is the gold standard of modern aesthetics. It implies a direct connection between the work and the artist’s soul, or the work and its historical origin.

Core Idea

The core idea is truth. An authentic work tells the truth—about its maker, its materials, or its history. It is not a lie, a copy, or a manipulation. In the age of mass production and AI, the hunger for the “authentic” (hand-made, local, real) has become even stronger.

Formal Definition

It can mean:

  1. Nominal Authenticity: Is this object actually by the person it claims to be by? (Not a forgery).
  2. Expressive Authenticity: Does this work truly reflect the artist’s inner self? (Not a pose).
  3. Cultural Authenticity: Does this work truly represent a specific culture or tradition? (Not appropriation).

Intuition

Imagine you buy a vintage leather jacket. It has scratches and smells like old tobacco. It feels “authentic.” Now imagine a brand new jacket made to look old with fake scratches. It feels “fake” or “kitsch.” The physical object might be identical, but the history is different. We value the history.

Examples

  • Walter Benjamin’s “Aura”: Benjamin argued that original artworks have an “aura”—a unique presence in time and space—that is lost in mechanical reproduction (like a poster of the Mona Lisa).
  • The Han van Meegeren Forgeries: He painted fake Vermeers that fooled the experts. When he was caught, the paintings instantly lost their value. They didn’t change physically, but they lost their authenticity.
  • Punk Rock: A genre obsessed with authenticity. Three chords played with “real” anger are valued more than technical virtuosity played without “soul.”

Common Misconceptions

  • Authenticity is objective: It is often a constructed narrative. A “rustic” Italian restaurant in New York is a carefully designed stage set of authenticity.
  • Copies are worthless: In some cultures (like traditional Chinese painting), copying the masters is a sign of respect and skill, not a lack of authenticity.
  • Kitsch: Kitsch is often defined as the opposite of authentic—it is fake emotion and fake art.
  • Appropriation: When an artist takes something “authentic” from another culture, they are often accused of inauthenticity or theft.
  • Essentialism: The belief that there is a true, fixed “essence” to a person or culture that must be expressed.

Applications

  • Art Market: The entire economy of the art world relies on the certificate of authenticity.
  • Tourism: Tourists seek “authentic” experiences (eating where the locals eat) to avoid the “fake” tourist traps.
  • Branding: Companies spend billions trying to appear “authentic” (e.g., “established 1892”, “hand-crafted”).

Criticism / Limitations

  • The “Authenticity Hoax”: Critics argue that in a capitalist society, authenticity is just another marketing gimmick. We buy “authentic” torn jeans from a factory.
  • Exclusion: Demands for cultural authenticity can police artists, preventing them from experimenting outside their “tradition.”

Further Reading

  • Benjamin, Walter. “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” 1935.
  • Trilling, Lionel. Sincerity and Authenticity. 1972.
  • Dutton, Denis. “Authenticity in Art.” 2003.