The Forger's Spell: A True Story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the Greatest Art Hoax of the Twentieth Century
Oct 2009 · Harper Collins
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"Mesmerizing account of an amateur artist who made millions selling forged paintings to art-obsessed Nazis and business tycoons" ( Kirkus, starred review).
New York Times–Bestseller
A New York Times Staff Pick
"Dolnick brilliantly re-creates the circumstances that made possible one of the most audacious frauds of the twentieth century. . . . An incomparable page turner." — Boston Globe
As riveting as a World War II thriller, The Forger's Spell is the true story of Johannes Vermeer and the small-time Dutch painter who dared to impersonate him centuries later. The con man's mark was Hermann Goering, one of the most reviled leaders of Nazi Germany and a fanatic collector of art.
It was an almost perfect crime. For seven years a no-account painter named Han van Meegeren managed to pass off his paintings as those of one of the most beloved and admired artists who ever lived. But, as Edward Dolnick reveals, the reason for the forger's success was not his artistic skill. Van Meegeren was a mediocre artist. His true genius lay in psychological manipulation, and he came within inches of fooling both the Nazis and the world. Instead, he landed in an Amsterdam court on trial for his life . . .
"When it comes to forgery and its ability to fascinate, the bigger the better, and the greater the audacity the more compelling. . . . Author Edward Dolnick has hit the mother lode." — Los Angeles Times
"Dolnick's zesty, incisive, and entertaining inquiry illuminates the hidden dimensions and explicates the far-reaching implications of this fascinating and provocative collision of art and ambition, deception and war." — Booklist
"A fascinating analysis of the forger's technique and a perceptive discussion of van Meegeren's genius at manipulating people." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
New York Times–Bestseller
A New York Times Staff Pick
"Dolnick brilliantly re-creates the circumstances that made possible one of the most audacious frauds of the twentieth century. . . . An incomparable page turner." — Boston Globe
As riveting as a World War II thriller, The Forger's Spell is the true story of Johannes Vermeer and the small-time Dutch painter who dared to impersonate him centuries later. The con man's mark was Hermann Goering, one of the most reviled leaders of Nazi Germany and a fanatic collector of art.
It was an almost perfect crime. For seven years a no-account painter named Han van Meegeren managed to pass off his paintings as those of one of the most beloved and admired artists who ever lived. But, as Edward Dolnick reveals, the reason for the forger's success was not his artistic skill. Van Meegeren was a mediocre artist. His true genius lay in psychological manipulation, and he came within inches of fooling both the Nazis and the world. Instead, he landed in an Amsterdam court on trial for his life . . .
"When it comes to forgery and its ability to fascinate, the bigger the better, and the greater the audacity the more compelling. . . . Author Edward Dolnick has hit the mother lode." — Los Angeles Times
"Dolnick's zesty, incisive, and entertaining inquiry illuminates the hidden dimensions and explicates the far-reaching implications of this fascinating and provocative collision of art and ambition, deception and war." — Booklist
"A fascinating analysis of the forger's technique and a perceptive discussion of van Meegeren's genius at manipulating people." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Mesmerizing account of an amateur artist who made millions selling forged paintings to art-obsessed Nazis and business tycoons" ( Kirkus, starred review).
New York Times–Bestseller
A New York Times Staff Pick
"Dolnick brilliantly re-creates the circumstances that made possible one of the most...
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Ratings and reviews
2 reviews
Bruce Nichols
- Flag inappropriate
March 22, 2025
Bizarre story about a forger fooling experts...and how he did it.
About the author
Edward Dolnick is the author of Down the Great Unknown, The Forger's Spell, and the Edgar Award-winning The Rescue Artist. A former chief science writer at the Boston Globe, he lives with his wife near Washington, D.C.
Edward Dolnick is the author of Down the Great Unknown, The Forger's Spell, and the Edgar Award-winning The Rescue Artist. A former chief science writer at the Boston Globe, he lives with his wife near Washington, D.C.
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