Master forger wolfgang beltracchi says all the experts he scammed for decades hate him because he was too good for them. Winner of the german film award for best documentary feature, arne birkenstocks account of master forger wolfgang beltracchi tells a story almost impossible to believe in. The forger, wolfgang beltracchi, comes across as an unapologetic rogue who, despite finally being caught in 2010 and sentenced to a short term in prison. Aug 19, 2015 they would be perfect as the leads in a bigscreen depiction of smirking charlatan wolfgang beltracchi and his striking wife, helene, who are the subjects of the documentary beltracchi. Forgery, in art, a work of literature, painting, sculpture, or objet dart that purports to be the work of someone other than its true maker. This freespirited german couple made headlines in 2010 after being arrested for pulling off one of the biggest art hoaxes in modern. Wolfgang beltracchi, born wolfgang fischer, was not always a longhaired man who looked like he rolled around at woodstock. Master forger wolfgang beltracchi has the press aflutter with a new documentary, two books, and a slew of new paintings hes offering for sale. Documentarian arne birkenstock explores the astonishing true story of german art forger wolfgang beltracchi, who created and sold lost paintings by famous artists for almost 40 years before being exposed. Oct 10, 2012 the big question every reader will want to know is, how and why does a person become an art forger.
This was after a 40day trial ending in guilty for beltracchi who was then sentenced to six years in a german prison. To some, the german master forger is a genius, but to others hes the most infamous criminal in art history. Portrait of the artist as a conman paraic obrien correspondent until he was exposed by using an incorrect pigment, wolfgang beltracchi was the worlds most successful art forger. I have watched the forger and its very clear that beltracchi is a gifted artist in his right. Wolfgang beltracchi, dubbed the greatest art forger of our time, once seemed set for a long stint behind bars after it came out that as many as 300 of his forgeries hung in the worlds major museums. Wolfgang beltracchi cbs 60 minutes story on wolfgang beltracchi. August 19 september 1 2 weeks beltracchi the art of forgery written and directed by arne birkenstock germany 2014 93 mins. How a british forensic investigator trapped wolfgang. He is wolfgang beltracchi, and you may have seen his work, but just dont know it yet. The art of forgery tells the appealing story of a renowned german art forger who for four decades painted canvases in the style of famous artists that he put on the market, fooling many of the top art experts in the business. The art world is in the eyes of many people an elite circle of people who almost randomly choose about art. Beltracchi, together with his wife helene, sold forgeries of alleged works by famous artists, including max ernst, heinrich campendonk, fernand leger and kees van dongen.
The art of forgery is a case in which a great documentary topic. Wolfgang beltracchi forger and celebrated art villain. Sure, hes a con man who swindled the art world out of. Wolfgang beltracchi, german art forger notorious for tricking the international art world into buying highly convincing paintings he created in the style of expressionist, surrealist, and cubist artists such as max ernst, max pechstein, georges braque, heinrich campendonk, johannes molzahn, kees.
Notorious art forger wolfgang beltracchi out of prison art. A few year ago the art market was shook up by a farreaching art falsification scandal worth millions, and in turn it wiped away the reputation of international art experts. The art of forgery, the german forger wolfgang beltracchi who was sentenced in 2011 to six years in prison. Art forger wolfgang beltracchis multimillion dollar scam. Wolfgang beltracchi got away with forging art masterpieces for over 40 years.
The minds, motives and methods of the master forgers explores the stories, dramas and human intrigues surrounding the worlds most famous forgeries investigating the motivations of the artists and criminals who have faked great works of art, and in doing so conned the public and the art establishment alike. Perenyi is a rare american art forger most known forgers. The art of forgery attempts to make its titular character, convicted art forger wolfgang beltracchi, a kind of folk hero. The art of forgery, the german forger wolfgang beltracchi who was sentenced in 2011 to six years in prison but released this year professes to be able. The most notorious fakes frauds and forgeries in the art. Case studies of ken perenyi and wolfgang beltracchi heinonline. Few people in the art world polarize opinion quite like wolfgang beltracchi. Forgers han van meegeren 18891947 and wolfgang beltracchi b 1951 as. The cbs news program, on the 23rd of february 2015, the usa news program 60 minutes interviewed wolfgang beltracchi after release from prison in germany.
Mar 03, 2014 art and law what you need to know about master forger wolfgang beltracchis latest antics. Wolfgang beltracchi, the forger of the century, created chaos in the art market with his fake paintings and. Wolfgang beltracchi is a german art forger and artist who has admitted to forging hundreds of. The art forger wolfgang beltracchi was the subject of a lengthy 60 minutes profile last night. Wolfgang went onto art school in aachen to pursue this lifelong passion. Fakes defraud the public and dilute an artists body of work. The analytical results of a group of beltracchi forgeries and some. I think that in parts of the art society something took hold that is absolutely out of place. Art and law what you need to know about master forger wolfgang beltracchi s latest antics. The catalogue for the 2 march sothebys impressionist and modern art day sale in london mistakenly identifies a forgery by wolfgang beltracchi called souvenir danvers as a genuine collaboration by the fauvist artist achilleemile othon friesz and georges braque. Fascinating story about the best art forger wolfgang beltracchi.
Wolfgang beltracchi born wolfgang fischer in 1951 is a german art forger and artist, who has admitted to producing hundreds of fake paintings. Wolfgang beltracchi born wolfgang fischer on 4 february 1951 is a german art forger and artist who has admitted to forging hundreds of paintings in an international art scam netting millions of euros. Art forger wolfgang beltracchi s paintings have brought him millions of dollars in a career that spanned decades. The big question every reader will want to know is, how and why does a person become an art forger. Request pdf the analytical results of a group of beltracchi forgeries and. In german with english subtitles kimstim 60 minutes called wolfgang beltracchi a con man of epic proportions and dubbed him and his wife helene, the bonnie and clyde of the art world. Case studies of three established artists, olafur eliasson, wolfgang beltracchi, and jeff. They also published two books in german about their exploits and were the subject of a documentary, beltracchi. The life and work of wolfgang beltracchi, a master painting forger. The art of forgery, fooled the art world for decades with his imitations of artists such as picasso and matisse. The art of forgery is a 2014 documentary biographical crime fiction film written and directed by arne birkenstock. Mar 06, 2014 a mesmerizing, thoughtprovoking yet surprisingly amusing documentary on the life and times of wolfgang beltracchi, who tricked the international art world for nearly 40 years by forging and selling paintings of early 20thcentury masters. In addition to telling a mystery about art theft, the art forger also contains a large amount of information on the nature of art, creating paintings, and the value of museums. See wolfgang beltracchi says his work still hangs in museum.
May 12, 2015 few people in the art world polarize opinion quite like wolfgang beltracchi. May 12, 2015 after serving three years of a six year prison sentence the man who made millions out of forged paintings is now freeand still making money from art. He singlehandedly made the global art market tremble and leading art experts question their competence. For nearly 40 years the charming and effervescent beltracchi produced. For nearly 40 years the charming and effervescent beltracchi produced hundreds of meticulous works of art, forgeries of early and mid20th century artists, using old canvases and distressed frames scoured from flea markets and paints whose pigments he ground himself. It makes a strong case that art betters the world, but it can only do its job if people have access to it and works of art. A mesmerizing, thoughtprovoking yet surprisingly amusing documentary on the life and times of wolfgang beltracchi, who tricked the international art world for nearly 40 years by forging and selling paintings of early 20thcentury masters.
In one of germanys greatest art scandals, former hippie and talented artist wolfgang beltracchi forged dozens of paintings over a period of 35 years, earning millions and fooling top collectors and museums. During and after his time in jail, beltracchi and his wife published two books. Gallery finished pictures for sale acrylic and photo on canvas 200 cm x cm or cm x 200 cm. Aug 18, 2015 according to convicted art forger wolfgang beltracchi, the best artists are those who paint with the richest colors. It was a reminder of how little safeguards protect genuine works of art from forgeries. Beltracchi exposes a forger, but also the art world. Arts how beltracchi, the worlds most famous art forger, plays with the market. Forger wolfgang beltracchis latest antics artnet news.
After painting hundreds of brilliant forgeries one even hung at the met, hippie millionaire wolfgang beltracchi sold this minor heinrich campendonk and its elaborate backstory. Beltracchi the art of forgeryfinsterworld synopsis. Wolfgang beltracchi was released from prison january 2015. Sep 15, 2015 arne birkenstocks account of master forger wolfgang beltracchi tells a story almost impossible to believe in.
Beltracchi the art of forgeryfinsterworld fandango. A largerthanlife personality who was responsible for the biggest art forgery scandal of the postwar era. In the past few months, master forger wolfgang beltracchi has given. An electronic version of this book is freely available, thanks to the support of. As child of the church painter wilhelm fischer, since his early childhood the painter wolfgang beltracchi has lived between secular painting and the picturesque interpretation of religious themes. Mar 19, 2015 wolfgang beltracchi, profiled in beltracchi. Notorious forger wolfgang beltracchi on ethics, the art market and how to make a great fake now painting under his own name, beltracchi s works are part of a selling exhibition currently touring. The art forger was no other than the german national wolfgang beltracchi with the aid of his wife and accomplice helene.
Interviews, books, films and other material eliasson diffuses and participates. The accused were wolfgang beltracchi 61, the painter of the forged works. The art of forgery, wolfgang and his wife helene beltracchi chat openly and with great wit and charm about their quixotic adventures in an overheated art world ruled by blind greed, and in which apparently no one has an answer to the question as to what is an original, and what is a forgery. I was in prison not for the painting, but for the signature. I would like mr beltracchi s book translated in english. A project against art forgery on the german art market pdf. Jonathan lopez, the man who made vermeers first mariner books, 2009. Beltracchi is an agreeable raconteur, and is much more knowledgeable than a mere armchair art historian, beltracchi. Master forger wolfgang beltracchi has the press aflutter with a new documentary, two books. It is so detailed it has been described as a forgers manual by the new york times. Apr 16, 2014 portrait of the artist as a conman paraic obrien correspondent until he was exposed by using an incorrect pigment, wolfgang beltracchi was the worlds most successful art forger.
But beltracchi has stated to the bbc that he faked about 50 artists. Beltracchi, wolfgang 1951 february 4 worldcat identities. The forger, wolfgang beltracchi, comes across as an unapologetic rogue who, despite finally being caught. Today, wolfgang beltracchi is out of prison, but as he served in an open facility, his sentence was not so hard to begin with, lasting only 1,5 years in the end. With wolfgang beltracchi, helene beltracchi, henrik hanstein, james roundell. Wolfgang beltracchi, rotes bild mit pferden 1914, forgery in the. How a brilliant british forensic investigator trapped an audacious forger who conned hollywood star steve martin out of a fortune.
Faking, forging, counterfeiting discredited practices at. Notorious forger wolfgang beltracchi on ethics, the art. Feb 25, 2014 wolfgang beltracchi born wolfgang fischer in 1951 is a german art forger and artist, who has admitted to producing hundreds of fake paintings. The incredible rise and fall of highflying art scammers. Martin and others who spent fortunes on forgeries by wolfgang beltracchi may.
Convicted art forger wolfgang beltracchi imagined that the ghosts of artists past stood over his shoulder and spoke to him as he forged their works wolfgang beltracchi is known as the worlds most successful forgery artist of all time. In a recent interview with the bbc, where beltracchi is seen painting in his montpelier studio, he says. In beltracchi the art of forgery, wolfgang and his wife helene beltracchi chat openly and with great wit and charm about their quixotic adventures in an overheated art world ruled by blind greed, and in which apparently no one has an answer to the question as to what is an original, and what is a forgery. The art of forgery explores the life and times of wolfgang beltracchi, a witty and charismatic german art forger and artist who fooled the international art world with his incredible fakes for more than forty years. This documentary is a fascinating and very amusing look at the long and quixotic career of wolfgang beltracchi, a german forger who for four decades fooled the international art world with his expert forgeries. His paintings made their way into museums, galleries, and private collections. In january 2014, helene and wolfgang beltracchi published two books. The art of forgery explores the life and times of wolfgang beltracchi, a witty and charismatic german art forger and artist who fooled the international art.
Beltracchi s talents allowed him to mimic just about any painter or style, and he and his. This thoughtprovoking and amusing documentary focuses on the life and work of wolfgang beltracchi and his wife, helene, who for nearly four decades fooled the international art world with the biggest forgery scandal of the postwar era. Notorious art forger wolfgang beltracchi out of prison. Master forger wolfgang beltracchi has the press aflutter with a new documentary, two books, and a slew. Shapiro is the awardwining, nyt bestselling author of the muralist and the art forger, both stories of art, mystery and history with a bit of romance thrown in. Wolfgang beltracchi, the worlds most famous art forger. Noah charney is an art historian and crime specialist and the author of a new book, the art of forgery. He may be egotistical and nihilistic, but his genius in undeniable. Eight years later, beltracchi has managed to parlay his notoriety into a lucrative postprison career, while the art world still grapples with the questions his massive fraud provoked. He agreed to paint only in his own name and to move from germany to france. Beltracchi the art of forgery full movie video dailymotion.
1181 1066 693 975 201 1320 203 723 624 990 564 1370 1006 475 1316 1223 1192 690 1536 339 394 563 301 1456 771 1218 610 1516 1288 1022 1157 1215 192 94 66 472 90 454 1049 991 50 842 1345 306 1461 1079 106