About this title: The Edgar Award-winning author of "The Rescue Artist" is back with the riveting story of the brilliant con man--the world's most famous art forger ("New York Times")--who perpetrated the greatest art hoax of the 20th century. Photos throughout.
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Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Date Published: 6/16/2009
ISBN-13:9780060825423ISBN:0060825421
Description: Fine. 0060825421 NEW/UNREAD! ! ! Text is Clean and Unmarked! --Be Sure to Compare Seller Feedback and Ratings before Purchasing--Has a small black line on bottom/exterior edge of pages. May have light shelf wear to cover from storage, if any. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Harper
Date Published: 2008
ISBN-13:9780060825416ISBN:0060825413
Description: Very Good-Used in Very Good jacket. / 9780060825416. Dj has some shelf wear. Book is clean and tight. Ships with confirming email. 100% money back guarantee. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9780060825423ISBN:0060825421
Description: New. Brand New! Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Harpercollins
Date Published: 2008-07-01
ISBN-13:9780060825416ISBN:0060825413
Description: NEW. Hardcover. From an inventory that is 100% brand-new, 100% direct from the publishers' distribution channel. We carry NO pre-owned, NO remaindered. We pack in CARDBOARD to ensure the pristine quality is maintained. (Bubble-wrap alone is NOT sufficient to protect from USPS equipment. ) Guaranteed brand-NEW, protected with CARDBOARD, your satisfaction is guaranteed. BKLUVID: 9780060825416. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Harper
Date Published: 2008
ISBN-13:9780060825416ISBN:0060825413
Description: New. Brand New! Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Description: FINE CONDITION IN FINE DUST JACKET-DJ is not clipped- Harper Collins 2008 2nd printing-No writing or marks in book-Nice Clean Tight Copy-HARD COVER-349 pages-Photos- Binding, Hinges and Text are all Very Sound and in Fine Condition-Suitable Gift Condition-Beautiful Copy-Shipped in a sturdy box with padding-Scan sent upon request-Mylar Dust Jacket protector- read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Harper
Date Published: 2008-07-01
ISBN-13:9780060825416ISBN:0060825413
Description: Very Good Text. Very Good Dust Jacket. Hardcover with dust jacket in very good condition. DJ, text, boards, and binding in very good condition; shelfwear is minimal-dust jacket protected in mylar wraps. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: PERENNIAL
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9780060825423ISBN:0060825421
Description: The Edgar Award-winning author of "The Rescue Artist" is back with the riveting story of the brilliant con man--the world's most famous art forger ("New York Times")--who perpetrated the greatest art hoax of the 20th century. Photos throughout. read more
"Edward Dolnick gives us the fascinating story of Han Van Meergeren. This man forged paintings, and not just of lesser known artists, but of the great Vermeer himself - you know - the painter of the luminous "Girl with a Pearl Earring". The crazy thing is that his paintings don't look a thing like Vermeer's style, and in fact are decidedly ugly! ( Yes - there are pictures!) How did he do it? I couldn't help feeling that this was a parable of the Third Reich, something that could only happen when all that is right is torn away and replaced by insanity. This book is deeply intelligent and completely engrossing. If you are a WWII buff, an artist, or just a student of human nature, you will love it."
""The Forger's Spell" by Edward Dolnick is a well told story about one of the most infamous art forgery cases of the 20th century. Han van Meegeren spent the duration of WW2 painting Vermeers; and what makes this case so fascinating - besides the big name artist he picked - was the way the critics fell head over heels for these forgeries, calling them Vermeer's best work. And if that wasn't enough, the story is made more intriguing by the fact that Hermann Goering, the head of the Luftwaffe and one of the most charismatic and sociopathic of all the Nazis was also fooled, trading 137 genuine paintings for one of van Meegeren's Vermeers. Being such an compelling story, it has had other treatments in book form, and while I haven't read any of these previous books, I can say that this one does a splendid job of getting into the motivations and machinations of a forgery of this magnitude. Han van Meegeren was a small-time Dutch artist who had been rejected by the art community. His paintings were deemed "sentimental and shallow", however he did have some monetary success painting portraits for rich clients, and also found success through some of his pencil drawings. Yet van Meegeren felt slighted by the art community and believed himself to be much more talented than the critics allowed. Thus he formulated a plan to fool the art world by painting forgeries of Vermeers and De Hoochs. And what van Meegeren lacked in artistic capability he more than made up for in his abilities as a master forger. He found ingenious ways to fool the experts: using plastic in his paints to harden them faster, using India ink to act as an ersatz grime to fill the craquelure, tearing the finished canvass and sloppily repairing it. Even his stylistic choices were inspired. After trying - and failing - to pass off a Vermeer based on an original painting, he decided to base his next painting on a Caravaggio, who was thought to be an influence on Vermeer. This was the painting that fooled the art world. "Christ at Emmaus" was said to be Vermeer's very best work, one of his most important paintings, as it bridged the thematic gap between his early and later career. Van Meegeren had struck gold. Because so little was known about Vermeer's life and because so few genuine Vermeers were known to exist, van Meegeren was able to spin a vague story about a family in dire financial straits, who wanted to remain anonymous, but who possesed some Dutch masterpieces they would like to sell. A few experts did indeed claim "Christ at Emmaus" to be a fake, however Holland was so desperate to keep Dutch masterpieces within their mesuems that a museum director quickly raised the money to purchase the painting - without testing its authenticity - before any deep-pocketed Americans took it off the market. It was here that van Meegeren really found his biggest gift in WW2. Because the Nazis were systematically looting Europe of her artistic treasures, it was much easier for van Meegeren to pass off his subsequent "Vermeers". The critics found these new forgeries to be similar in style to "Christ at Emmaus" and thus above reproach. And Goering, in the midst of all his looting (which the Nazis went through great pains to give it the appearance of purchasing) found out about a new Vermeer which was one of van Meegeren's fakes. If Goering never would have bought this forgery, van Meegeren might have not been found out in his lifetime; however, it was his connection with a Nazi that started the Dutch authorities to investigate van Meegeren's dealings during WW2. The investigation and trial were very unique in that after WW2 there wasn't a traditional Dutch police force to investigate these matters. For awhile van Meegeren was LIVING with the investigator. I won't say what happened at the trial, but I will say that "Christ at Emmaus" is still in Holland and the museum director very much bemoans the fact that it is one of their most popular paintings, despite their best efforts to make it otherwise. "The Forger's Spell" is a quick read and tells an almost unbelievable story; it also allows you to meditate on the nature of art and forgery and what made all those critics believe that a second rate forgery was Vermeer's best work. The book reproduces many of the paintings it mentions and Vermeer's genuine paintings are VISIBLY better than van Meegeren's forgeries. Yet many of the critics were blinded by the name Vermeer, desperate to make a once-in-a-lifetime discovery and desperate to keep Vermeers in the country. And a small, dapper artist was desperate for revenge, desperate for approval, and in the end both critics and artist got what they wanted: at least for a moment."
"Dolnick, Edward. THE FORGER'S SPELL. (2008). ****. This is the fascinating story of one of the greatest art forgers of the 20th Century, Han van Meegeren. He was a passable artist in his own right, but was pretty much ignored by the rest of the art community. According to him, he began to paint fakes to get back at the snobby critics and collectors, and, as a secondary benefit, to make some money. He settled on two famous painters from the 17th Century to work on: Vermeer and De Hooch. His first forgery was titled Christ at Emmaus, and was painted in the style of Vermeer. Through the use of several middlemen, van Meegeren was able to sell this painting for a fantastic amount of money. With this money, he adopted a lifestyle that was lavish - to say the least - in an era where the Dutch were under attack by the Nazis and there was no money to be had. Several famous art critics adopted this painting as their crusade objective and touted it to the rest of the world. It became more famous than any of the other Vermeer paintings that were known at the time. (It turns out that there are only 35 or 36 Vermeers known and catalogued.) Since he got away with the first one, van Meegeren continued in his career of forgery with several other paintings as if by Vermeer. He was extremely clever in his use of basic materials, and even discovered ways of producing the hardness and cracking of the oils as if they were indeed three-hundred years old. The story is a true tale of detection. What makes the story additionally interesting is the information the author provides on the Nazi art collectors, especially Hitler and Mermann Goering. Nazi leadership took every advantage of subdued countries to siphon off priceless works of art to their own private galleries. It turns out that one of van Meegeren's painting, Christ With the Woman Taken in Adultery, supposedly as by Vermeer, was part of Goering's collection, and one of his proudest possessions. Goering bragged that he had this Vermeer and showed it to all of his guests. He even bragged about how much money he had paid for it - although none of the money was his. In all, this is a fascinating story about fakery in the world of art, and the psychology of artists and critics. Recommended."
Apparently this was a timely book for me. I really enjoyed this book. This is about a man who forged Vermeer's artwork and sold it to people like Goering and Hitler during the war. I don't know why I enjoyed this book so much. It basically talks about the art of forging and selling the 'idea' more than the actual work itself. It referred to many of the great art forgeries of the century but mostly focused on this one individual. I guess I enjoyed it so much because it was interactive for me, it would talk about a painting and I would look it up online to look at it and see what I thought. It sort of inspired me to think about what artists I like... and now I am quilting some Van Goughs (one of my favorites right now)and making an applique Van Gough quilt, which I intend to learn how to machine quilt on it at a local fabric store. This book inspired a creative surge and outlet in me."
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