The Forger's Spell: A True Story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the Greatest Art Hoax of the Twentieth Century (P.S.)

The Forger's Spell tells the true story of Han van Meegeren, a Dutch painter who forged works attributed to Johannes Vermeer and sold them to Nazi leaders and wealthy collectors for millions of dollars. For seven years, van Meegeren successfully passed off his paintings as those of one of history's most celebrated artists. Van Meegeren's primary target was Hermann Goering, a high-ranking Nazi leader and obsessive art collector. Despite being a mediocre artist himself, van Meegeren's success stemmed not from technical skill but from his ability to manipulate people psychologically. He came close to deceiving both the Nazis and the broader art world before facing trial in an Amsterdam court. Edward Dolnick reconstructs the circumstances that enabled one of the twentieth century's most audacious frauds, examining both van Meegeren's forging techniques and his talent for psychological manipulation.