Jolly Redd, the sly art dealer, frequently docks his treasure trawler, the Black Market Trawler, at the secret beach of your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island, bringing with him a haul of furniture and, more importantly, art. While adding paintings and statues to your museum collection is a rewarding endeavor, not everything Redd sells is genuine. This guide will help you navigate the murky waters of art collecting in Animal Crossing, ensuring you only acquire authentic pieces for your museum and avoid being swindled by forgeries.
Redd’s boat typically holds four pieces of art and two furniture items. Crucially, you can only purchase one artwork per visit, making each choice significant. Adding to the challenge, all four art pieces can be fakes, or Redd might generously offer multiple genuine works. In total, there are 43 art pieces to discover and donate to Blathers at the museum.
Once you make a purchase from Redd, your chosen artwork will be mailed to you the following day.
Unlocking Redd and His Art Collection
Before Redd graces your island with his presence, you need to pave the way for his arrival by initiating the museum’s art wing. First, you must donate at least 60 unique items to Blathers, be it fish, bugs, or fossils. After reaching this milestone, speak to Blathers. He will then contemplate expanding the museum to include an art exhibit.
The day after Blathers expresses his interest in art, Isabelle will mention “shady art dealers” during her morning announcements, signaling Redd’s impending arrival. Keep an eye out for Redd roaming your island – your first encounter with him will trigger the art storyline.
Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon
Initially, Redd will try to sell you a painting for an exorbitant 498,000 Bells. Declining this initial offer will prompt him to offer a “discounted” price of 4,980 Bells for a guaranteed genuine artwork. Purchase this piece and donate it to Blathers. He will then commit to opening the art exhibit, closing the museum for renovations the next day. The art wing will officially open two days later, and Redd will begin to appear on your island randomly.
Redd anchors his boat at the secluded northern beach of your island. This “secret beach” is typically located at the rear of your island and might require a ladder to access if you haven’t terraformed the area.
Like other special merchants such as Kicks and Flick, Redd’s visits are random. It’s not definitively known if there are specific prerequisites for Redd’s boat to appear beyond upgrading Resident Services, but museum donations are certainly a key factor.
Alternatively, Redd can set up a permanent shop at Harv’s Island Plaza for a 100,000 Bell investment. At Harv’s Island, Redd displays two art pieces daily, and both can be either genuine or fake. The one-artwork-per-day purchase limit remains at Harv’s Island. Stock refreshes daily after purchase or weekly on Mondays if no purchase is made.
What To Do With Art Pieces
Genuine artworks are primarily for donation to the Museum, enriching your island’s cultural hub. However, both real and fake pieces can also serve as unique furniture items to decorate your home or island. Statues, in particular, make impressive outdoor decorations.
Fake artworks cannot be donated to the museum or sold to Timmy and Tommy at Nook’s Cranny. If you wish to discard a fake, you’ll need to use a trash can item. Alternatively, embrace the kitsch and display your forgeries as conversation starters for your island visitors!
Identifying Real vs. Fake Paintings: A Detailed Guide
The thrill of art collecting in Animal Crossing: New Horizons comes from discerning genuine masterpieces from clever forgeries. Redd’s fakes are deceptively similar to the real deal, requiring a keen eye to spot the subtle differences. The discrepancies in New Horizons are more nuanced compared to previous Animal Crossing games, demanding careful inspection.
This comprehensive guide details the tell-tale signs of fake paintings in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Use this resource to confidently assess Redd’s offerings and ensure your museum only receives authentic art.
Serene Painting (Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo da Vinci)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Woman holds a white ermine.
Fake: Ermine has raccoon-like markings around its eyes.
Warm Painting (The Clothed Maja by Francisco de Goya)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: The Warm Painting is always real, so purchase with confidence.
Wistful Painting (Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Girl wears a pearl earring.
Fake: Earring is star-shaped. Another fake version exists with closed eyes and a star earring.
Academic Painting (Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: No visible marks.
Fake: Has a noticeable coffee stain in the corner.
Graceful Painting (Beauty Looking Back by Hishikawa Moronobu)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Features a white tag near the woman’s hair.
Fake: Lacks the white tag. The woman may also appear larger, or face left instead of right in other fake versions.
Calm Painting (A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: The Calm Painting is always authentic.
Flowery Painting (Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: You can always trust the Flowery Painting to be real.
Jolly Painting (Summer by Giuseppe Arcimboldo)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Subject features a sprout or flower on his chest.
Fake: Missing the flower detail on the chest.
Moody Painting (The Sower by Jean-François Millet)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: The Moody Painting is always authentic.
Famous Painting (The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Subject has no eyebrows.
Fake: Subject is depicted with prominent eyebrows.
Scary Painting (Ōtani Oniji the 3rd as Yakko Edobei by Tōshūsai Sharaku)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Subject has angry, intense eyebrows.
Fake: Subject has sad-looking, droopy eyebrows. Another fake version might show the subject smiling, but with sad eyebrows.
Dynamic Painting (Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: The Dynamic Painting is always authentic.
Scenic Painting (The Hunters in the Snow by Pieter Bruegel the Elder)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Depicts hunters and dogs in the foreground.
Fake: Missing the hunters and dogs in the foreground.
Moving Painting (The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Features trees in the top right corner.
Fake: Lacks the trees in the top right corner.
Amazing Painting (The Night Watch by Rembrandt van Rijn)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Frontmost man wears a hat.
Fake: Frontmost man is missing his hat.
Quaint Painting (The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Woman pours a modest stream of milk.
Fake: Woman pours an exaggerated, larger stream of milk.
Solemn Painting (Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Man in the background has his arm lowered.
Fake: Man in the background is raising his arm higher.
Basic Painting (The Blue Boy by Thomas Gainsborough)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Boy has less hair detail.
Fake: Boy is depicted with more detailed and voluminous hair.
Worthy Painting (Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: The Worthy Painting is always authentic.
Glowing Painting (The Fighting Temeraire by Joseph Mallord William Turner)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: Purchase the Glowing Painting without hesitation, it’s always real.
Common Painting (The Gleaners by Jean-François Millet)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: The Common Painting is always genuine.
Sinking Painting (Ophelia by John Everett Millais)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: The Sinking Painting is always authentic.
Nice Painting (The Fifer by Édouard Manet)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: The Nice Painting is always a safe bet, it’s always real.
Proper Painting (A Bar at the Folies-Bergère by Édouard Manet)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: The Proper Painting is always genuine.
Mysterious Painting (Isle of the Dead by Arnold Böcklin)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: You can trust the Mysterious Painting, it’s always real.
Twinkling Painting (The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: The Twinkling Painting is always authentic.
Perfect Painting (Apples and Oranges by Paul Cézanne)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: The Perfect Painting lives up to its name – it is never fake.
Wild Painting Left Half (Folding Screen of Fūjin and Raijin by Tawaraya Sōtatsu)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: The beast depicted is white.
Fake: The beast is colored green.
Wild Painting Right Half (Folding Screen of Fūjin and Raijin by Tawaraya Sōtatsu)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: The beast is green.
Fake: The beast is white.
Detailed Painting (Ajisai Sōkeizu by Itō Jakuchū)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Foliage is blue, signature present on the left.
Fake: Foliage is purple and lacks the signature on the left.
Identifying Real vs. Fake Statues: A Detailed Guide
Statues, like paintings, are also subject to Redd’s forgeries. Here’s how to distinguish the real statues from the fake ones in Animal Crossing: New Horizons:
Warrior Statue (Terracotta Warrior by Unknown)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Statue is empty-handed.
Fake: Statue is holding a shovel.
Motherly Statue (Capitoline Wolf by Unknown)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Wolf’s mouth is closed.
Fake: Wolf has its tongue sticking out.
Beautiful Statue (Venus de Milo by Alexandros of Antioch)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Statue has no accessories.
Fake: Statue is wearing a necklace.
Robust Statue (Discobolus by unknown)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Statue has no accessories.
Fake: Statue is wearing a watch on his raised arm.
Gallant Statue (David by Michelangelo)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Statue is empty-handed.
Fake: Statue is holding a book under his arm.
Informative Statue (Rosetta Stone by Unknown)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Statue is black.
Fake: Statue is blue.
Ancient Statue (Jōmon Period “Dogū” Figurine Shakōki-dogū by Unknown)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Statue has no protrusions from the head. Eyes do not glow.
Fake: Statue has two antennae-like protrusions from the side of its head. Eyes may also glow blue at night.
Tremendous Statue (Houmuwu Ding by Unknown)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Statue is open at the top.
Fake: Statue has a lid on top.
Mystic Statue (Bust of Nefertiti by Thutmose)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Statue has no earring.
Fake: Statue has an earring on her left ear (viewer’s left when facing the statue).
Rock-head Statue (Olmec Colossal Head by Unknown)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Statue has a neutral or stern expression.
Fake: Statue is smiling.
Valiant Statue (Nike of Samothrace by Unknown)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Real: Statue’s right leg is forward.
Fake: Statue’s left leg is forward.
Familiar Statue (The Thinker by Auguste Rodin)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: The Familiar Statue is always authentic.
Great Statue (King Kamehameha I by Thomas Ridgeway Gould)
Image: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
Always Genuine: You can always rely on the Great Statue being real.
With this detailed Animal Crossing Paint Guide, you’re now equipped to confidently discern real art from fake art in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Happy art hunting, and may your museum be filled with genuine masterpieces!
