You're standing on the beach. It’s dark. The air smells like salt and shady business deals. You step inside that rusted-out trawler, and there he is—Cousin Redd. He’s grinning, leaning over a piece of art that looks suspiciously like something you saw in a history textbook back in middle school. He calls it the Serene Painting. He wants thousands of Bells for it. But here’s the kicker: Redd is a con artist. Honestly, half the time he’s trying to sell you a worthless piece of canvas that Blathers will reject with a look of pure, unadulterated disgust. If you’re trying to figure out the Serene Painting real vs fake ACNH situation, you’ve got to look at the details. Specifically, the ermine.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons isn't just about picking weeds and debt repayment to a tanuki. It’s a game of observation. When it comes to the Serene Painting—which is actually Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine—the devil is in the literal hands of the subject. In the real world, this 15th-century masterpiece features Cecilia Gallerani holding a slender, white winter ermine. In Animal Crossing, Redd’s fake version swaps that elegant creature for something... chunkier.
The Dead Giveaway: It’s All About the Ermine
Let’s get straight to the point because nobody wants to waste 4,980 Bells on a forgery. When you’re inspecting the Serene Painting real vs fake ACNH variants, focus your camera entirely on the animal being cradled.
The real Serene Painting features an ermine with a distinct, dark patch around its eye. It looks like a proper, wild animal. It’s sleek. It’s refined. In contrast, the fake Serene Painting shows an ermine that has a massive, dark grey or black ring around its entire eye, making it look a bit like a raccoon or a very tired house pet. Some players jokingly call it the "raccoon-ermine." If that animal looks like it’s wearing heavy eyeliner or has a "mask" covering a large portion of its face, walk away. Redd is playing you.
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It’s a subtle difference, sure. But once you see it, you can’t unsee it. The real one is clean. The fake one has that distracting, dark circle. It's that simple.
Why Does the Serene Painting Even Matter?
You might be thinking, "Who cares? It looks fine on my wall." And yeah, for home decor, go nuts. Buy the fake. It looks "moody." But if you’re trying to complete the Art Gallery in the Museum, Blathers is a stickler for authenticity. He won't take the raccoon-ermine. He only wants the Da Vinci.
Leonardo da Vinci painted the original around 1489–1490. It’s one of only four portraits he did of women. The ermine wasn't just a pet choice; it was a symbol of purity and a clever pun on the subject's surname (Gallerani sounds like galée, the Greek word for ermine). Nintendo's developers clearly had a blast messing with these historical details. By changing the animal's markings, they aren't just making a "spot the difference" game—they're testing your ability to notice when a masterpiece feels slightly "off."
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Mastering the Art of the Redd Inspection
Buying art in ACNH is stressful. I've been there. You have a limited amount of time, the lighting in the boat is terrible, and you can only buy one piece a day. When you approach the Serene Painting, use the zoom function. Don't just glance at it. Use the right joystick to get as close as possible.
Look at the hands. In the real painting, the fingers are long and delicate. While the fake doesn't usually mess with the hands, looking at the anatomy helps you appreciate why the "raccoon eye" on the fake looks so out of place. The fake ermine looks bloated. The real one fits the Renaissance aesthetic.
Haunted or Not?
Some fakes in Animal Crossing: New Horizons are "haunted." The Scary Painting (based on Otani Oniji III) will occasionally smile or change its expression at night. The Ancient Statue might float if you interact with it.
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Unfortunately for those who love a good ghost story, the fake Serene Painting is not haunted. It’s just a bad copy. It won't move, it won't blink, and it won't glow in the dark. It just sits there, being a fake. If you’re looking for spooky decor, look elsewhere. If you’re looking for a museum-grade collectible, stick to the ermine with the small, natural eye markings.
Practical Steps for Your Next Boat Trip
Don't let Redd get the best of you. He’s a fox for a reason. Here is exactly how to handle the Serene Painting next time it pops up in the back of that boat:
- Zoom in immediately. Don't even look at the price tag yet.
- Compare the eye. Look at the ermine's face. Is there a giant black ring around the eye? If yes, it's a fake. Is the eye area mostly white/cream with just a tiny bit of dark detail? That’s the real deal.
- Check your Museum. If you're unsure if you already donated it, check the Nook Shopping app on your phone (if you've unlocked it) or walk through your gallery. There's nothing worse than buying a real painting you already own.
- Buy with confidence. Once you spot that sleek, clean ermine, buy it.
If you do end up with the fake, don't worry. You can't sell it to Tommy and Timmy (they have surprisingly high ethics when it comes to forged art), but you can toss it in a trash can furniture item or give it to a villager you don't particularly like. Though, be warned: some villagers will eventually realize it's a fake and get a bit miffed about it.
The Serene Painting real vs fake ACNH debate is one of the easier ones to solve once you know the "raccoon" secret. It’s not like the Wild Painting Right Half where you’re squinting at the color of a god’s skin. It’s just a weirdly colored weasel. Look for the clean face, get your stamp from Blathers, and move one step closer to that gold museum plaque.
Once you've secured the Serene Painting, your next move should be checking the statues. Redd's statues—like the Valiant or the Gallant—have much more obvious tells, like holding a book or having a modern-day watch. Keep your eyes sharp and your Bells ready.