Collector Files Lawsuit Against Woodward Gallery Over Alleged Warhol Forgeries

Nira Levine has initiated legal action against Woodward Gallery, alleging the sale of counterfeit Andy Warhol prints. The collector claims the New York gallery encouraged her to invest $180,000 in works from Warhol's Space Fruit series, created in 1979. According to Artforum, Levine asserts that Woodward Gallery falsified documentation after The Warhol Authentication Board confirmed 63 of the jointly purchased prints were inauthentic. Questions about the works' legitimacy first emerged following a restorer's report in 2014. Levine's lawsuit seeks a court order compelling disclosure of all acquisition records for approximately 140 additional artworks she bought from the gallery. She also requests depositions from both John Woodward and Christine Woodward regarding their sales practices. The legal filing represents a significant challenge to the gallery's authentication processes and market credibility.