Who Are Some of the Famous Forgers in Art History?

Art|Art History

Forgery is a crime in which an individual knowingly and intentionally deceives a purchaser into believing that a work of art is genuine. In art history, there have been many famous forgers who have made their mark in the world of art.

One of the most notorious forgers was Han van Meegeren from the Netherlands. He specialized in painting fake versions of Dutch masters such as Johannes Vermeer, and managed to fool the experts for years. He even succeeded in selling his fakes to high-profile buyers like Hermann Goering, who paid an exorbitant sum for one of his works.

Another famous forger was Wolfgang Beltracchi from Germany. He managed to forge paintings from various painters such as Max Ernst, Heinrich Campendonk and Fernand Leger. Beltracchi was so successful that his fakes were sold to prominent collectors around the world, including the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles and a gallery in New York City.

Elmyr de Hory is another well-known figure in art history. He was a Hungarian-born painter who produced numerous fake works by artists such as Picasso, Matisse and Modigliani between 1947 and 1976. His work fooled experts at some of the most prestigious galleries and museums around the world, including the Tate Gallery in London and The Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Tom Keating is another renowned forger who has left his mark on art history. Born in London, he specialized in producing fake works by various Old Masters such as Rembrandt, Rubens and Gainsborough between 1945 and 1983.

His fakes were so convincing that they fooled numerous experts around the world before his activities were finally uncovered by Scotland Yard detectives in 1977.

Conclusion: From Han van Meegeren to Elmyr de Hory to Tom Keating, these infamous figures have become household names due to their remarkable skills at forging artwork that fooled even the most expert appraisers around the world. Their stories are often seen as cautionary tales about how easy it can be to be deceived by a forgery if one does not take proper precautions when purchasing artwork.