Navigating the art market in Animal Crossing: New Horizons requires a sharp eye, especially when purchasing items from the tricky fox merchant Jolly Redd. Among the many classic masterworks available for your museum gallery, the Jolly Painting is a frequent option that comes with a convincing forgery. Learning how to identify the genuine piece ensures you never waste your hard-earned Bells on counterfeit goods.

Understanding the ACNH Jolly Painting

The Jolly Painting is based on the famous 16th-century masterpiece titled Summer, created by Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo. The painting is renowned for its composite portrait style, assembling fresh summer produce like peaches, wheat, and vegetables to form a human head. In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, this unique visual arrangement makes inspectable details crucial when examining artwork on Redd's treasure boat.

How to Spot the Fake Jolly Painting

Spotting the forgery of the Jolly Painting comes down to examining a specific detail on the subject's chest in the bottom-right corner. On the fake version of the painting, a sprout or artichoke-like stalk grows directly out of the chest area. If you observe the chest and notice this extra plant sprout protruding outward, you are looking at a forgery that Blathers will refuse to accept.

Identifying the Authentic Masterwork

The authentic Jolly Painting lacks the extra floral stalk extending from the lower right portion of the bust. The chest area on the real canvas consists neatly of woven wheat stalks without any rogue sprouts sticking out. Carefully zooming in during the inspection screen allows you to confirm the clean layout before committing your bells to the purchase.

What to Do with Forgeries in New Horizons

If you accidentally purchase a counterfeit Jolly Painting, keep in mind that Blathers will not accept fake artwork for the island museum exhibit. Furthermore, Timmy and Tommy at Nook's Cranny will decline to purchase forged art pieces from you. However, you can still use forged paintings to decorate your home, display outdoors on your island, or trade with fellow players who enjoy collecting haunted or alternative artwork variants.