Marcus Chen
Han van Meegeren, born in 1889, was a Dutch painter who became one of the world's greatest art forgers, with a particular talent for replicating the works of Johannes Vermeer, a 17th-century Dutch painter. Meegeren's forgeries were so convincing that he successfully sold them as lost Vermeer masterpieces, fooling both art critics and scholars. To create his forgeries, Meegeren employed a range of techniques, including using authentic 17th-century canvases, mixing his own paints from raw materials like lapis lazuli and indigo, and creating his own badger-hair paintbrushes similar to those used by Vermeer. He also developed a method of mixing his pigments with phenol formaldehyde, which hardened and formed cracks after baking, giving the paintings a more aged appearance. Meegeren's forgeries not only brought him significant profit but also contributed to his trial for treason during World War II, as he traded his forged paintings with high-ranking Nazi officials.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for creating Vermeer forgeries | To prove to art critics that he could do more than copy the Dutch Masters |
| Location where he created his forgeries | Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Nice, Amsterdam, Laren, and The Hague |
| Techniques | Bought authentic 17th-century canvases, mixed his own paints from raw materials like lapis lazuli, white lead, indigo, and cinnabar, used old formulas, created badger-hair paintbrushes, mixed pigments with phenol formaldehyde, and baked his paintings to create cracks |
| Number of known forgeries of Vermeer | 14 |
| Number of forgeries sold | 9 |
| Profit made from forgeries | Between 5.5 and 7.5 million guilders (or about $25-30 million) |
| How he was caught | During World War II, he sold a forged piece called "Christ with the Adulteress" to the Nazi banker and art dealer, Alois Miedl, who worked for Hermann Göring |
| Outcome of trial | Initially charged with aiding and abetting the enemy, but later found guilty of forgery and sentenced to one year in prison |
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What You'll Learn
Han van Meegeren's motivation
Secondly, financial gain was likely a significant motivator. Nine of his fourteen known forgeries were sold before World War II at enormous profits, bringing him substantial wealth.
Additionally, van Meegeren had a personal connection to Vermeer through his teacher and mentor, Bartus Korteling, who was inspired by Vermeer and taught van Meegeren his techniques. Korteling rejected modern art movements as decadent and degenerate, which may have influenced van Meegeren's decision to emulate the Old Masters.
Furthermore, van Meegeren's desire to deceive extended beyond financial gain and artistic recognition. He meticulously studied Vermeer's techniques, materials, and processes, including mixing his own paints from raw materials and creating his own badger-hair paintbrushes to match Vermeer's tools. He even perfected the technique of drying the paintings in an oven to create the appropriate cracking of the paint, indicative of age.
Lastly, van Meegeren's actions during World War II, including his interactions with Nazi leaders, further complicate his motivations. He traded forgeries for looted paintings, believing himself to be a national hero rather than a collaborator. However, his actions led to his arrest and trial, where he faced serious charges.
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His forgery technique
Han van Meegeren's forgery technique was a well-developed and ingenious plan. He aimed to create forgeries of supposedly lost early works by the Delft painter Johannes Vermeer, a 17th-century genius with a small oeuvre. To achieve this, he moved to the south of France, where he rented a mansion called "Primavera" in the village of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.
There, he spent six years perfecting his technique, buying authentic 17th-century canvases and mixing his own paints from raw materials like lapis lazuli, white lead, indigo, and cinnabar, using old formulas to ensure authenticity. He even crafted his own badger-hair paintbrushes, similar to those Vermeer was known to have used.
Van Meegeren also developed a technique to accelerate the aging process of his paintings. He mixed his pigments with phenol formaldehyde (Bakelite), which hardened and formed cracks when baked. This allowed him to create the desired amount and type of cracking, ensuring his forgeries could pass any scientific testing.
To introduce his forgeries to the art world, Van Meegeren employed a clever strategy. He understood that getting a renowned Vermeer scholar to authenticate his paintings would convince everyone else. In 1937, through a lawyer, he approached Abraham Bredius, a prominent scholar of Dutch Golden Age paintings, who examined one of Van Meegeren's forgeries, "Christ and Disciples at Emmaus," and declared it a masterpiece by Vermeer. This endorsement opened the door for Van Meegeren's forgeries to be accepted by the art market, with nine of his fourteen known forgeries sold before World War II at substantial profits.
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How he was caught
Han van Meegeren's forgeries were only discovered after World War II, when an Allied art commission was set up to identify and return artworks that had been stolen by Nazi leaders to their rightful owners. One of these artworks was a previously unknown painting by Vermeer, titled 'Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery', which had been acquired by Hermann Göring, a leader of the Nazi Party. The commission traced the painting back to van Meegeren, a wealthy and eccentric Amsterdam painter.
Van Meegeren was arrested in 1945 and charged with collaborating with the Nazis, which carried a potential death sentence. To prove that he had forged the Vermeer, he painted another in the same style and using the same materials and techniques, under the observation of court-appointed witnesses.
Van Meegeren's activities as a forger were financially successful. He sold nine of his forgeries before the war, including 'The Supper at Emmaus', which was hailed as a masterpiece by Vermeer. He also created forgeries of works by Pieter de Hooch, including 'Interior with Card Players' and 'Interior with Drinkers'.
Van Meegeren's trial began on 29 October 1947. He was sentenced to one year in prison but died of a heart attack two months later.
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His trial
Han van Meegeren's activities as a forger came to light after World War II. An Allied art commission was set up to identify and restore artworks that had been collected by Nazi leaders. They discovered a previously unknown painting by Johannes Vermeer, 'Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery', in the collection of Hermann Göring. The painting was traced back to van Meegeren, and he was arrested in 1945, facing charges of collaboration with the Nazis.
Van Meegeren confessed to the forgery and, to prove his claim, painted another "Vermeer", 'Jesus Among the Doctors', under the supervision of court-appointed witnesses. The original charge of aiding and abetting the enemy was dropped, but van Meegeren now faced charges of fraud and forgery for the works sold before the war.
Van Meegeren's trial began on 29 October 1947. He was found guilty of forgery and sentenced to one year in prison. However, he died of a heart attack two months after being sentenced.
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His legacy
Han van Meegeren is remembered as one of the boldest forgers of Old Masters in modern times. He is known for his successful and complex scheme of forging Vermeer paintings, with nine of his fourteen known forgeries sold before the war at enormous profits, duping buyers out of more than $30 million.
Meegeren's activities as a forger were exposed after World War II, when an Allied art commission was tasked with identifying and restoring artworks collected by Nazi leaders. The discovery of a previously unknown Vermeer painting, "Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery", among the collection amassed by Hermann Göring, puzzled the commission. They traced the painting to Meegeren, an eccentric and wealthy Amsterdam painter, and arrested him in 1945 on charges of collaboration with the Nazis.
Facing a possible death penalty, Meegeren confessed to forging the Vermeer painting and others. He felt slighted by the art world, which had undervalued his original work, and sought revenge by creating forgeries that would fool experts. To prove his claim, he painted another Vermeer under the observation of court-appointed witnesses.
Meegeren was sentenced to one year in prison in 1947 but died of a heart attack two months after being sentenced. His legacy is that of a talented forger who successfully deceived art experts and historians, highlighting the challenges of authenticating artworks and the potential for manipulation in the art world.
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Frequently asked questions
Han van Meegeren used a variety of techniques to create his forgeries of Vermeer's paintings. He bought authentic 17th-century canvases and mixed his own paints from raw materials such as lapis lazuli, white lead, indigo, and cinnabar. He also created his own badger-hair paintbrushes, similar to those Vermeer used. To fake the aging process, he mixed his pigments with phenol formaldehyde, which hardened and formed cracks after baking the paintings.
Han van Meegeren was a mid-level Dutch artist whose original works were often reviewed as simply decent or adequate. He started copying Old Masters but soon grew dissatisfied with the lukewarm response from critics, who deemed his works derivative and unoriginal. He then decided to create forgeries in a way that would completely fool journalists and critics.
Han van Meegeren created 14 known forgeries of works by Vermeer, 9 of which were sold before World War II at enormous profits.
Han van Meegeren was arrested and charged with aiding and abetting the enemy after it was discovered that he had traded a forged painting, "Christ with the Adulteress", to the Nazis during World War II. He traded 137 looted paintings for the forged Vermeer.
Facing the death penalty, Han van Meegeren confessed to his crimes and painted one last forgery, "Jesus Among the Doctors", in the style of Vermeer, to prove his claim. He was found guilty of forgery and sentenced to one year in prison in 1947 but died of a heart attack two months later.
