Sex, Lies and Theft in the Late Eighteenth-Century: the Underbelly of the Taste for the Antique Dr Gerard Vaughan AM, Director, National Gallery of Victoria The possession of antiquities of quality defined the taste of European elites of the late 18th century. As demand far outstripped supply, the search for antiquities often resulted in rampant forgeries, deception and criminal behaviour. Gerard Vaughan will offer a glimpse of the underbelly of neo-classical taste, discussing the antics of these passionate collectors and their dealers, and the strategies they devised to fulfil their…