Legacy Han_van_Meegeren

a collection of genuine , fake signatures of han van meegeren

van meegeren played different roles, of shrouded in fraudulent intentions, sought fulfill goal of besting critics. han’s father said have once told him, cheat , be. on other hand, brothers , sisters perceived him loyal, generous, , affectionate, , loving , helpful own children. question character cannot answered unequivocally. indeed, recent works question many of existing assumptions van meegeren , motivations career in forgery. han van meegeren, double-edged, , character presents fragments rather unity. in 2008, harvard-trained art historian jonathan lopez had become fluent in dutch , published man made vermeers, unvarnishing legend of master forger han van meegeren . extensive research confirmed van meegeren started make forgeries, not feeling misunderstood , undervalued art critics income generated, income needed support addictions , promiscuity. lopez confirmed veracity of jan spierdijk s article in de waarheid in spierdijk reported book tekeningen 1 van meegeren in hitler s library, signed artist , dedicated führer.

van meegeren continued paint after released prison, signing works own name. new-found popularity ensured quick sales of new paintings, selling @ prices many times higher before had been unmasked forger. van meegeren told news media had offer manhattan gallery come u.s. , paint portraits in 17th century manner @ $6,000 throw.

a dutch opinion poll conducted in october 1947 placed han van meegeren’s popularity second in nation, behind prime minister s , ahead of prince berhard, husband of princess juliana. dutch people viewed van meegeren cunning trickster had fooled dutch art experts and, more importantly, hermann göring himself. in fact, according contemporary account, göring informed vermeer forgery , [göring] looked if first time had discovered there evil in world . lopez indicates han van meegeren s defense during trial in amsterdam masterpiece of trickery, forging own personality true dutchman eager trick critics , dutch people pretending sold christ , adulteress, fake vermeer, göring because wanted teach nazi lesson. van meegeren remains 1 of ingenious art counterfeiters of 20th century. after trial, however, declared, triumph counterfeiter defeat [a] creative artist.