You hear that suspicious, low-pitched boat whistle. You see the black smoke billowing from the secret beach at the back of your island. Honestly, we all know that feeling of dread and excitement when Jolly Redd rolls into town. He’s charming, sure, but he’s also trying to scam you out of 4,980 Bells for a piece of canvas that belongs in a dumpster. Getting tricked by Animal Crossing real or fake art is a rite of passage for New Horizons players, yet it never gets any less annoying when Blathers gives you that look of profound disappointment.
Blathers won't take fakes. He's got standards. If you accidentally buy a "Wistful Painting" where the girl is wearing a star-shaped earring instead of a pearl, you’re stuck with a haunted piece of decor that you can’t even sell to Tommy and Timmy. They won't touch it. Even the trash can feels too good for some of these forged monstrosities.
Why Redd is Actually the Ultimate Test of Patience
Redd’s Treasure Trawler is a dimly lit den of lies. Most players think they can just eyeball the art based on memory, but Nintendo’s developers were sneaky. They didn't just make the fakes look "bad." They made them look almost right. For example, the "Academic Painting" is based on Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man. In the real version, there's no coffee stain in the top right corner. In Redd's fake? A giant, brown ring from a mug. It’s subtle enough to miss if you’re rushing to fill your museum.
Some of these pieces are actually haunted. Yeah, seriously. If you buy the fake "Ancient Statue" (the one with the antennas), it glows at night. If you try to interact with the fake "Wistful Painting," the figure might even close her eyes. It's creepy. It’s weird. But it’s part of the charm that makes hunting for Animal Crossing real or fake art such a core part of the gameplay loop.
You only get one shot per visit. Unless you have multiple accounts on your Switch, you pick one piece and hope for the best. This creates a high-stakes environment for what is otherwise a very chill game about talking frogs and debt repayment to a raccoon.
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The Most Infamous Fakes You’ll Encounter
Let’s talk specifics because general advice doesn't save you Bells.
Take the Moving Painting. It’s Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus. In the real one, there are trees in the background on the right side. In the fake? No trees. Just empty space. It’s a tiny detail that completely changes the validity of the piece. Then there’s the Wild Painting Left Half and Wild Painting Right Half. These are the bane of every completionist's existence. They are expensive, rare, and the fakes look incredibly similar to the originals unless you look at the color of the creature depicted. On the Left Half, the "god" should be white. If he’s green? You’re looking at a forgery.
The statues are even trickier.
The Gallant Statue (Michelangelo’s David) is a classic trap. If he’s holding a book under his arm, it’s a fake. The real David isn't carrying his homework. Same goes for the Valiant Statue. If the left leg is forward, it's a fake. The real Winged Victory of Samothrace has the right leg forward. It’s these minute anatomical shifts that catch people off guard. You really have to become an amateur art historian just to decorate your virtual wing.
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A Quick Checklist for the "Always Real" Gallery
Not everything Redd sells is a gamble. There are several pieces that are always genuine. Nintendo decided to be merciful with a handful of items, presumably so players wouldn't lose their minds entirely. If you see these, and you don't have them in your museum yet, buy them immediately:
- Calm Painting (Seurat's A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte)
- Common Painting (Millet's The Gleaners)
- Flowery Painting (Van Gogh's Sunflowers)
- Glowing Painting (Turner's The Fighting Temeraire)
- Great Statue (The Kamehameha I statue)
- Moody Painting (Millet's The Sower)
- Nice Painting (Manet's The Flageolet Player)
- Perfect Painting (Cézanne's Still Life with Apples)
- Proper Painting (Manet's A Bar at the Folies-Bergère)
- Sinkable Painting (Böcklin's Isle of the Dead)
- Twinkling Painting (Van Gogh's The Starry Night)
- Worthy Painting (Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People)
If Redd has one of these, he can’t scam you. It’s the safest bet in the game.
The Psychology of the Scam
Redd calls you "cousin." He treats you like family. This is a classic social engineering tactic used by hucksters for centuries. By establishing a false sense of familiarity, he lowers your guard. You want to believe your "cousin" is giving you a deal on a priceless Ming vase. He isn't. He’s trying to offload a piece of porcelain with a fake label on the bottom.
When you're looking at Animal Crossing real or fake art, the lighting in the Trawler is intentionally dim. This isn't just for atmosphere. It’s to obscure the colors and textures that reveal a forgery. You have to use the zoom function. Don't just look at the thumbnail. Get in there. Look at the eyes of the Mona Lisa (Famous Painting). Are her eyebrows arched? Real. Are they pointed down like she's annoyed? Fake.
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It’s honestly impressive how much detail the developers put into these discrepancies. They aren't just random glitches; they are intentional nods to the actual history of these works of art.
How to Handle Fakes Once You Have Them
So, you messed up. You bought a fake "Detailed Painting" because you didn't notice the flowers were purple instead of blue. Now what?
You can't sell it to Nook's Cranny. They literally won't take it. You can’t give it to Blathers. You can’t even give it to your villagers (most of the time, though some might take it if they're particularly unrefined).
Your options are limited. You can display it in your house if you like the "haunted" vibe. Some fakes, like the Informative Statue (Rosetta Stone), turn blue and glow, which actually looks pretty cool in a sci-fi themed room. If you just want it gone, you have to toss it in a trash can furniture item or take it with you on a Mystery Island tour and leave it there. It’s a bit of a walk of shame, leaving your forged goods on a deserted beach, but it gets the job done.
Practical Steps for Your Next Gallery Visit
The best way to handle Redd is to go in prepared. Don't trust your gut. Your gut wants the shiny thing; your gut is easily fooled by a fox in a shirt.
- Zoom in aggressively. Use the "Take a closer look" option and move the camera around. Look at the edges, the colors, and especially the faces.
- Compare with a reference. Keep a guide or a photo of the real-world artwork open on your phone. Look for things that shouldn't be there—like a sweatshirt on a Japanese woodblock print (Looking at you, Crestfallen Painting).
- Check the "Always Real" list first. If Redd has a Starry Night, grab it. It’s a guaranteed win.
- Don't forget the statues. They are often the most valuable but have the most subtle fakes. Look for things like watches, different hairstyles, or incorrect postures.
- Utilize Harv’s Island. Once you unlock Redd’s stall on Harv’s Island, you have a much more consistent way to check art daily. If he’s selling two fakes, buy one anyway just to force the inventory to refresh the next day. It’s worth the 4,980 Bells to get a new chance at a real piece tomorrow.
Navigating the world of Animal Crossing real or fake art is basically a mini-game of "Spot the Difference" with much higher stakes for your museum's completion percentage. It takes time, a lot of squinting, and a healthy dose of skepticism toward your "cousin." But once that final wing of the museum is filled and Blathers is finally happy, the struggle feels worth it. Just maybe keep a trash can nearby for the next time Redd tries to sell you a David with a wristwatch.
Actionable Summary for Players
- Prioritize the "Always Real" list to fill your museum faster without the risk of being scammed.
- Use the camera zoom specifically to check for "haunted" features like blinking eyes or shifting shadows on fakes.
- Force inventory refreshes at Harv's Island by purchasing a fake if no real art is present, ensuring a new slot opens the following day.
- Dispose of unwanted forgeries using a trash can item, as Nook’s Cranny will refuse to purchase them.