The Man Who Made Vermeers by Jonathan Lopez

The Man Who Made Vermeers by Jonathan Lopez

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE, THE LAST VERMEER, STARRING GUY PEARCE: A revelatory biography of the world's most famous forger--a talented Mr. Ripley armed with a paintbrush--and a deliciously detailed story of deceit in the art world.

It's a story that made Dutch painter Han van Meegeren famous worldwide when it broke at the end of World War II: A lifetime of disappointment drove him to forge Vermeers, one of which he sold to Hermann Goering in mockery of the Nazis. And it's a story that's been believed ever since. Too bad it isn't true.

In this gripping work of true crime, Jonathan Lopez has drawn on never-before-seen documents from dozens of archives for this long-overdue unvarnishing of the master forger Han van Meegeren's legend. Neither unappreciated artist nor antifascist hero, Van Meegeren emerges as an ingenious, dyed-in-the-wool crook. Lopez explores a network of illicit commerce that operated across Europe: Not only was Van Meegeren a key player in that high-stakes game of art fraud in the 1920s and '30s, landing fakes with famous collectors such as Andrew Mellon, but he and his associates later cashed in on the Nazi occupation.

This definitive account reveals the shocking truth behind the legend:

• A World War II Art Crime: The astonishing story of how Han van Meegeren sold a counterfeit Vermeer to Hermann Goering, not as an act of rebellion, but as a business transaction.
• The Forger's Web of Deceit: An exploration of the Europe-wide network of illicit commerce Van Meegeren was part of for decades, long before the war, duping famous collectors like Andrew Mellon.
• Art Forgery Investigation: Drawing on never-before-seen archives, author Jonathan Lopez dismantles the popular myth of Van Meegeren as an anti-fascist hero, revealing him as a professional criminal and Nazi sympathizer.
• Fascinating Dutch History: A rich, detailed look at the high-stakes European art market in the 1920s, '30s, and through the Nazi occupation, revealing how a master forger could thrive.

Jonathan Lopez was born in Puerto Rico in 1988. After serving in the military for 7 years and working for the Brevard County Sheriff's Office in Florida for 4 years, he decided to write this book. He moved from Puerto Rico to the States in 2013, started from zero and has been continuously building a legacy ever since. Jonathan is a proud father and husband, and he is always creating a positive atmosphere for those around him. Jonathan has been awarded on several occasions for his selfless actions. Some of his awards and recognitions include the Melbourne Regional Chamber Valor Award in 2018, the Brevard County Sheriff's Office Merit Award in 2017, and the Army Commendation Medal in 2016. In this book, you'll find inspirational stories and find out how the power of words can help you in your journey to success.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780547247847
ISBN 10	0547247842
Title	The Man Who Made Vermeers
Author	Jonathan Lopez
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Cengage Learning, Inc
Year published	2009-08-01
Number of pages	352
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.