I’ve always taken insane pride in completing my museum in Animal Crossing games. From collecting every fossil to spending hours hunched over a river trying to catch a char, it’s something that has kept me signing in to Animal Crossing even on my burnt-out days.
But completing your museum isn’t as easy as it sounds. Especially when coming across art and statues feels impossible. Even when you do, there’s a risk that one sly fox might be selling you some counterfeit art. I’ve never had much luck relying on my gut, and Redd has never made it particularly easy.
Buying counterfeit art is one of the most significant risks in the Animal Crossing franchise because aside from the embarrassment of buying a fake, it doesn’t exactly come cheap either. Redd is known for increasing prices in order to make a profit. But with this handy guide to the Beautiful Statue, you’re at least guaranteed a genuine piece by the end of it.
Who is Redd?
Redd, often referred to as ‘Crazy Redd’ or ‘Jolly Redd,’ is an NPC who has appeared in Animal Crossing games since Animal Forest. He’s known for his somewhat shady behavior and eagerness to sell the player either furniture or art. But be warned, the things you’re buying may not be exactly what they seem.
Although Redd is your one-stop shop for all things arty, the origins of his pieces can occasionally not be what he says. The character is known for taking the bells of innocent players in return for counterfeit pieces, and there is nothing you can do about it. As much as I wish I could be angry every time I buy a piece of fake art, I can’t help but blame myself for trusting this sly fox in the first place.
His design resembles a fox or kitsune, with two slits for eyes and a brown nose. His whole body is orange aside from the tips of his paws, feet, ears, and tail. The inner of his ears are light pink, and he wears a blue apron with a ginkgo leaf on the front. This apron looks incredibly similar to the aprons worn in Nooks Cranny, but with a different leaf, which may represent Redd’s slightly shifty nature.
How do I Buy Art?
Redd has always owned a furniture and art shop in each game he has been in. In games before New Horizons, Redd was the owner of ‘Black Market’ and ‘Crazy Redd’s, a tent that would occasionally appear on the plaza in front of the Town Hall. The player must have a password or be invited in to gain access. I remember spending hours trying to guess the password to his riddles in Wild World and then getting frustrated and never bothering. It seemed almost impossible when I was younger, but looking back, it probably saved me a substantial amount of bells!
However, in New Horizons, Redd receives a new lease of life that captures his sly essence perfectly. Once the player has found him wandering around their island and agrees to buy a painting from him, Jolly Redd’s Treasure Trawler will begin to dock at the hidden beach of your island. The first painting the player buys from Redd will always be genuine, and in addition, the art room of the museum will be unlocked so the painting can be donated.
Once the boat begins to dock more frequently, you can start your adventure into buying art with Redd. His boat is home to four pieces of art (which includes statues) and two pieces of furniture. But you need to keep a keen eye when buying art because, as I said, it’s not always genuine. The player can buy one piece of art per visit, which will be packaged and posted to them the next day.
What is the Beautiful Statue?
Within Animal Crossing New Horizons, the Beautiful Statue is one of thirteen statues you can buy from Redd. Arguably, I think it’s one of the most beautiful art pieces. I prefer buying statues over art in Animal Crossing, as even if they are counterfeit, they can make some beautiful displays outside your museum.
Additionally, sculptures are so incredibly detailed within Animal Crossing that it’s hard not to fawn over their beauty. Although, it’s relatively difficult to see the details of these statues when buying them from Redd. His boat is so poorly lit that it’s challenging to take note of features. Many players have speculated that this is a ploy to make selling fakes easier.
The Beautiful Statue is among the few that tower over the player, standing at almost double the size of our tiny characters. It debuted in New Leaf and has only appeared in Happy Home Designer and New Horizons since.
It is entirely white and takes the form of a goddess-like woman. The statue’s base is adorned in ‘cloth,’ although carved from stone. Across the whole bust are various dents and damages, but the most significant damage is the statue’s lack of arms. Of course, this is to represent the real-life equivalent of the statue.
For a price of 4,980 bells, this statue is a fantastic addition to either your own collection or to donate to the museum. Either one is a worthy cause. I fell in love with this statue from the moment I saw it and knew it had to be a part of my statue garden.
However, if you are feeling particularly generous and donate this piece to the museum, the description will read:
Venus de Milo
Artist Unknown, circa 130 BCE
Marble
A statue of a Roman Goddess of Love and Beauty, Venus was found on the island of Milos. This beautiful sculpture makes many wonder what her original post may have been.
Real vs. Fake
Should you find yourself buying this statue, it’s integral that you make sure you aren’t buying a fake. With statues, in particular, it’s pretty hard to spot many differences unless you know your stuff. I’m not ashamed of admitting how often I’ve bought a piece of counterfeit art from Redd, as I have a stellar display of art on my island due to it. But that doesn’t make the sting of Blathers telling you your piece is fake any less.
Luckily, when Redd made his debut into New Horizons, a new way to examine your art before the purchase was introduced. Rather than just going with your gut as you would in previous Animal Crossing games, New Horizons lets you zoom right in and inspect every inch of the artwork. However, you may still struggle to tell the difference even with this feature – I know I certainly do – and it isn’t exactly made easier when each game hosts a variety of differences between real and fake!
So here are the differences and what to look out for in real vs. fake art in New Leaf and New Horizons, the two mainline games in which the Beautiful Statue can be bought from Redd.
How to Spot a Fake Beautiful Statue in New Leaf
In New Leaf, the Beautiful Statue is significantly less detailed than its appearance in New Horizons. Instead of taking a matte, marble look, it appears incredibly glossy. In a way, this appearance makes it much easier to spot a counterfeit piece, considering you can’t zoom in and have a perfect look.
However, there is one significant difference between a real and a fake statue, which makes it easy to tell given you know what the piece of art it’s based on looks like. While a real statue showcases a beautiful woman with short hair, Redd’s counterfeit statue showcases a beautiful woman with long, shoulder-length hair. This signifies that Redd is stocking a fake statue, and you should avoid wasting your bells.
If you buy a fake piece without realizing it, taking it to the museum will reveal its authenticity. Blathers is incredibly quick to exclaim that the piece is fake (which I find rather embarrassing sometimes) and will request you take it home. If you’re too ashamed to keep the item, you won’t be able to sell it either.
My top tip for getting rid of fake art in New Leaf is to decorate your house with it or gift it to a villager (especially one you don’t like.) Villagers are always more than happy to receive a gift, even if it is a counterfeit piece. So at least someone benefits at the end of the day!
How to Spot a Fake Beautiful Statue in New Horizons
However, even though New Horizons is equipped with the tool to zoom in and examine the piece you’re considering buying, sometimes noticing the differences is nowhere near as easy as I’d like. Even after being solid in my decision and convincing myself that I’m buying a piece of genuine art, there have been several occasions where I’ve proudly run it over to Blathers and been told I’ve wasted my money.
I find it particularly hard to find differences between real and fake statues in New Horizons, but one of the best signifiers to look for is an added feature, such as long hair like in New Leaf or an added accessory. More often than not, New Horizons will add things like an earring, or a piece of clothing, to its art and statues to signify a fake.
This tradition is maintained in the fake version of the Beautiful Statue in New Horizons. An added necklace is the tell-tale sign of buying a phony piece over a real one. The fake version of the statue has a large necklace, while the tangible equivalent remains bare. It’s relatively easy to spot when you inspect the piece, so look out for it if you’re desperate to add this piece to your museum. But if you’re just looking for a statue to add to your collection, it’s not a tacky addition. Instead, it’s subtle enough to look like an actual statue if you just want to display it.
But if you fall victim to buying a counterfeit, like in New Leaf, they aren’t straightforward to shift. Once again, you can’t sell them to Nooks, so the best way to get rid of them is by decorating your island or giving them to a villager.
A Brief History of the Beautiful Statue in Real Life
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The Beautiful Statue is a rendition of the Venus de Milo, a marble statue that is said to have been carved between 150-125 BC. It’s an ancient greek sculpture created in the Hellenistic Period by the artist Alexandros of Antioch and depicts Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of love. Because of this, the statue is sometimes referred to as ‘Aphrodite de Milos.’
Due to its age, this prestigious statue is considered a priceless piece of history, which makes me smile since Redd deems it worth a measly 4,980 bells. It stands over 204 centimeters tall, mirrored by its in-game equivalent, which towers over the player.
The Venus de Milo statue is currently on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris, where it has been since it was first found, aside from a brief evacuation during WW2. It is one of the most esteemed pieces the Louvre has to offer, and thousands of people visit it daily. Although I would love to behold its beauty in person, having the in-game equivalent is just as good for me.
Summary
Although I stated at the beginning of this piece that I’ve never had much luck buying genuine art from Redd, I now feel more confident in finding a real statue. I hope this guide has helped you feel similarly!
I find it so fascinating that the developers of Animal Crossing wanted to incorporate such pivotal artwork into their cutesy game, even though they never explored why. It’s been a great addition to the franchise since Animal Forest, and the lesson of not trusting shady characters is hugely beneficial for any player.
Even though Redd is always out to get me, or so it seems, I love his character in the Animal Crossing franchise. If art were easy to come by, much like fossils, it would take away from the excitement of finding a genuine piece. I hope Redd is included in future games because I wouldn’t want to get my art from anywhere else, even if the price is hiked up and there’s a risk of me leaving the museum while hanging my head in shame.
FAQs
Question: How Often Does Redd Come to my Island?
Answer: It’s almost impossible to track how often Redd visits your island in New Horizons. When the game initially came out, and Redd was introduced, players would go months without him visiting. It was frustrating for anyone trying desperately to bulk out their art collection, but as the game has received several more patches, it seems that Redd will visit a player’s island once every two weeks. Additionally, he resides on Harv’s island following the 2.0 update, where he sells two pieces of art a day. Visiting Redd’s island is a much more reliable way to buy art than waiting for the Treasure Trawler to dock!
Question: How Many Pieces of Art are in the Museum?
Answer: In Animal Crossing New Horizons, there are forty-three pieces of art to find, buy and donate. However, I can almost guarantee that you will buy more than forty-three pieces while trying to complete your collection. With the amount of fake art Redd has shifted to me, I’d say I’ve easily purchased over fifty pieces since he debuted in New Horizons! However, in New Leaf, there are only thirty-three pieces of art to collect.
Question: Why did Crazy Redd Rebrand to Jolly Redd?
Answer: Although it’s never discussed in the game, players have speculated that the rebranding from ‘Crazy’ to ‘Jolly’ is to signify Redd’s transition from having a tent to having a ship. Alongside this, the change of name might be a nod to him getting busted for selling counterfeit art in previous games, and he needed to change his name and shop appearance to stay out of trouble.
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