You hear that low, rhythmic thrumming of a motor coming from the secret beach at the back of your island. You know that sound. It’s Jolly Redd. He’s back with his "Treasure Trawler," a dim, shady boat filled with high-end decor and, most importantly, paintings and statues. But here is the thing: Redd is a crook. He’s trying to sell you a forged "Academic Painting" with a coffee stain on it, and if you aren't careful, Blathers is going to give you that look of utter disappointment at the museum. Getting your hands on real animal crossing new horizons redd artwork is basically a rite of passage for every player, but it’s also a massive headache if you don't know the visual tells.
Redd doesn't play fair. Sometimes he shows up with four fakes. Sometimes he has one real piece. Occasionally, if the RNG gods are smiling, he has multiple genuine articles, though you can usually only buy one per day unless you’re running multiple profiles. It’s a gamble.
The High Stakes of the Art Gallery
Why do we even bother with this fox? Well, the museum feels empty without the art wing. Completing it is one of the longest "long games" in New Horizons. Unlike bugs or fish, which are seasonal, Redd’s inventory is randomized and his visits are infrequent unless you've unlocked his permanent stall on Harv's Island. Even then, the inventory only refreshes every Monday, or when you buy something.
When you approach a piece of art in the ship, you can "take a closer look." This is your only defense. The game zooms in, allowing you to inspect the textures and details. A fake "Wistful Painting" features a star-shaped earring instead of a round pearl. The "Moving Painting" might be missing the trees in the background. It’s all about the tiny, annoying discrepancies.
Spotting the Fakes in Animal Crossing New Horizons Redd Artwork
Let's get into the weeds. If you're looking at the Serene Painting, which is Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine, look at the animal. In the real version, the ermine is white. In the fake, it’s got a grey, raccoon-like circle around its eyes. It’s subtle. It’s mean.
Then you have the statues. The Gallant Statue (Michelangelo’s David) is a classic trap. The fake David is holding a book under his right arm. The real one? Nothing. Just pure, Renaissance muscle.
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The Hauntings You Didn't Ask For
Some fakes are actually "haunted." This is a detail Nintendo added that honestly creeps a lot of people out. If you buy a fake Scary Painting (the guy making the face), he might smile at night. The fake Ancient Statue (the one that looks like a robot) has glowing eyes and actually floats when you interact with it.
- The Fake Wistful Painting closes its eyes at a certain time of night.
- The Fake Girl with a Pearl Earring (Wistful) also changes its expression.
Honestly, some people collect the fakes specifically for these weird quirks. They make for great "haunted house" island themes. But if your goal is a 5-star museum, they are useless junk. Blathers won't take them, and Timmy and Tommy won't even buy them from you. You have to pay 400 bells to dispose of them in a trash can or drop them on a mystery island.
The Harv's Island Hack
For a long time, we were all at the mercy of the random boat spawns. It was brutal. You’d go three weeks without seeing Redd, and then he’d show up with a "Famous Painting" you already had. Since the 2.0 update, you can go to Harv's Island and pay 100,000 bells to set up Redd’s permanent shop.
This changed the game.
Every Monday, he puts out two new pieces. If you buy a fake one on Monday, he replaces it with a new piece on Tuesday. This is the fastest way to cycle through his inventory. It’s an expensive habit, but if you have a surplus of bells, it’s the only way to finish that gallery before the year 2030.
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Paintings That Are Always Real
Believe it or not, Redd isn't always lying. There are several pieces of animal crossing new horizons redd artwork that are "Always Genuine." This means there is no forged version in the game's code. If you see these, buy them immediately.
- Calignant Painting (The Fighting Temeraire)
- Common Painting (The Gleaners)
- Dynamic Painting (Great Wave off Kanagawa)
- Flowery Painting (Sunflowers)
- Glowing Painting (The Fighting Temeraire)
- Moody Painting (The Sower)
- Mystery Painting (Isle of the Dead)
- Nice Painting (The Young Flautist)
- Perfect Painting (Still Life with Apples and Oranges)
- Proper Painting (A Bar at the Folies-Bergère)
- Sinking Painting (Ophelia)
- Twinkling Painting (The Starry Night)
- Worthy Painting (Liberty Leading the People)
If you see Van Gogh’s Starry Night (Twinkling Painting), snatch it up. There is no fake. Same goes for the Great Wave. These are the "safe bets" that keep your museum progress moving forward without needing a magnifying glass.
The Complexity of the Statues
Statues are harder. They take up more space and the fakes are often very funny. Take the Motherly Statue (the wolf with the twins). In the fake version, the wolf has her tongue hanging out. It looks ridiculous.
The Tremendous Statue is another tough one. The real one is a large bronze ding (an ancient Chinese vessel). The fake has a lid. The real one is open. If you aren't looking at a reference photo of the actual Houmuwu ding, you’d never know. This is where the game expects you to have a bit of art history knowledge, or at least a very good search engine.
The Valiant Statue (Nike of Samothrace) is a fan favorite for island decoration. The fake version has the left leg forward. The real one has the right leg forward. It’s a mirror image. Many players actually prefer the fake for symmetry when decorating their island entrances, even if Blathers hates it.
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How to Manage Your Art Collection
Once you start buying art, you need a system. I personally keep a checklist on my phone. There is nothing worse than spending 4,980 bells on a "Warm Painting" only to realize you donated it six months ago.
- Check the museum's "Critterpedia" equivalent for art. Walk through the gallery and see what's missing.
- Check the back of the painting if you've already bought it. Real art has a "Certificate of Authenticity" sticker on the back. Fakes do not.
- Use the camera tool. When you are on Redd's boat, use the handheld camera mode to get a first-person view. It lets you get much closer to the canvas than the standard "peek" option.
Why the Art Market Matters
The art market in New Horizons isn't just about the museum. It’s a huge part of the player-to-player economy. On sites like Nookazon or various Discord servers, "Real Art" is a high-value currency. People will trade dozens of Nook Miles Tickets for a real Great Statue or a Wild Painting Right Half.
The Wild Painting (the folding screen) is arguably the hardest to get. It comes in two halves: Left and Right. Both have fakes. In the real versions, the deity on the screen is a specific color (the Wind God is white, the Thunder God is green). If the colors are swapped, you're looking at a fake. These two pieces are usually the final hurdles for collectors.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Visit
The next time Redd docks at your island, don't just guess. Follow this workflow:
- Identify Always-Real Pieces: Look for the Twinkling Painting or Flowery Painting first. If they are there, your job is done.
- The Zoom Test: For everything else, use the "Look Closer" feature. Focus on the eyes of portraits and the hands/feet of statues.
- Verify with Harv: If you're at the permanent stall, buy the fakes just to get them out of the way so he spawns new inventory the next day.
- Check the Backs: If you’re trading with another player, look at the item in your inventory. If you can "place" it and see the back, look for the owl-stamped certificate.
Getting a complete collection of animal crossing new horizons redd artwork takes patience. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. You’ll get scammed at least once—everyone does. But eventually, that wing of the museum will be full, and Blathers will finally stop complaining about the empty pedestals.
Stay diligent. Keep your bells ready. And never, ever trust a fox in a silk apron without checking the ears on his "Statue of Liberty" first.