For nearly eight years Xiao Yuan, chief librarian at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, substituted paintings and calligraphies with his own art and sold the originals, making almost 35 million yuan (RM21.5 million), the court heard.
Works by 20th century painter Qi Baishi — whose Ode to the Motherland fetched A$15.6 million (RM43.8 million) at a Beijing auction in 2012 and is considered one of the world's highest valued artists — were among those removed by Mr Xiao.
Mr Xiao also replaced Rock and Birds by 17th century painter Zhu Da, which was valued at A$6.5 million (RM18.3 million), local media said.
The fraudster sold 125 of the paintings at auction, while another 18 in his personal collection seized by police were valued at around A$16.7 million (RM46.9 million), prosecutors said.
Xiao, 57, told the court that others were doing the same thing with his own paintings.
"During the investigation when the police showed me a picture of my copies, I realised that 10 years earlier someone had replaced it with their own copy, because their work was very poor," he said at Tuesday's hearing.
"I could see it wasn't my own work, the standard was too bad."
A spokesman at the Beijing branch of China Guardian Auctions confirmed Xiao was one of its clients, but said it was "still verifying the details related to his case".
Police have previously closed museums in China for displaying fake exhibits.
The Lucheng museum in the north-eastern province of Liaoning was closed last year after almost a third of the 8,000 items on display were discovered to be not genuine, state media said.
In 2013, a museum in the central province of Henan was found to have scores of fake exhibits, including a vase decorated with cartoon characters but described as a Qing dynasty artefact.
AFP
Wed Jul 22 2015
Police have previously closed museums in China for displaying fake exhibits. - AFP Photo
Penganjuran Hari Perpaduan di sekolah bantu tingkat persefahaman antara kaum - Saraswathy
Penganjuran Hari Perpaduan di sekolah menjadi platform terbaik untuk meningkatkan semangat perpaduan dalam kalangan pelajar sekolah, kata Timbalan Menteri Perpaduan Negara K. Saraswathy.
MITI: RM58.91 juta diagihkan kepada PKS pada suku pertama bagi automasi dan pemodenan
Jumlah peruntukan bagi pinjaman mudah itu ialah RM150 juta untuk 30 syarikat dalam sektor pembuatan dan perkhidmatan berkaitan pembuatan.
2,214 stesen pengecas EV dipasang, MITI kekal sasaran 10,000 menjelang 2025
Ia sebahagian komitmen MITI untuk membangunkan infrastruktur pengecasan EV dan mencapai sasaran 10,000 titik pengecasan menjelang 2025.
Harimau Muda kurang 'kerja rumah' hadapi Piala Asia B-23 2024 - Penganalisis
Menerusi pemerhatian di laman media sosial, timbul cakap-cakap netizen yang lebih terarah kepada perjalanan kesemua pemain negara kendalian Juan Torres Garrido ke Qatar sekadar 'makan angin'.
UMNO aktifkan 'war room' bantu calon Kerajaan Perpaduan - Ahmad
Ahmad berkata UMNO juga akan melaksanakan kempen bagi membantu calon berkenaan dengan bersungguh-sungguh.
Pelepasan air terawat Fukushima digantung kerana terputus elektrik
Pelepasan air radioaktif terawat ke laut dari loji janakuasa nuklear Fukushima yang lumpuh digantung pada Rabu berikutan gangguan bekalan elektrik separa, kata pengendali loji itu.
Prabowo rasmi diisytihar Presiden Indonesia
Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Umum (KPU) secara rasmi akan mengisytiharkan Prabowo Subianto sebagai Presiden Indonesia dipilih, dalam satu majlis pada Rabu, seperti yang dijadualkan.
Jerman-UNRWA mungkin bekerjasama semula
Kerajaan Jerman merancang untuk menjalinkan kerjasama dengan agensi Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu bagi pelarian Palestin (UNRWA). Ia susulan daripada kontroversi yang mendakwa anggota petugas UNRWA terlibat dalam serangan di Gaza yang berlaku pada 7 Oktober tahun lalu.
Ini panggilan daripada Allah SWT - Dr Sharifah Mazlina
Ketua Misi Ekspedisi Wanita Berkumpulan ke Antartika, Dr Sharifah Mazlina Syed Abdul Kadir yang merupakan salah seorang peserta dari Malaysia bagi misi Break The Siege of Gaza Freedom Flotilla menyifatkan penglibatannya dalam misi berkenaan sebagai satu panggilan yang ditentukan Allah.
Tujuh ditahan polis dalam serbuan 'keganasan' Australia
Polis Australia menahan tujuh individu yang menimbulkan risiko dan ancaman kepada orang ramai selepas melakukan serbuan antikeganasan membabitkan lebih 400 pegawainya, pada Rabu.
Cermin mata milik Mahathma Gandhi dijual pada harga RM1.4 juta
Individu yang memiliki cermin mata itu meninggalkannya dalam sampul surat yang diserahkan kepada pelelong tempatan di Bristol, England.