A great rollicking read
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Utterly fascinating and beautifully-written.
As compelling as the story itself are the details on the long, careful process involved in the forger's deception.
And perhaps most interesting of all is the debate it forces on what constitutes a masterpiece: how our perception of a work of art is influenced by the surrounding acclaim, or lack thereof - how easily our tastes are cowed into mainstream definitions of greatness by purported experts, perhaps concerned more with covering their asses than furthering the cause of artistry.
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Fascinating story, beautifully written
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This story of how Han Van Meegeren wrought revenge on the pre-war Dutch art establishment and hoodwinked Hermann Göring to boot is most beautifully written. A tale like this is crying out to be made into a film!
I found it un-put-downable and I was left with a smile on my face having finished reading it.
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Quite simply, brilliant...
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The life of the scheming fraudster is by its very nature more interesting than that of the natural genius. Everyone loves an underdog, and Han van Meegeren was that most unusual of underdogs: a winner.
Wynne's book, described last weekend by The Observer as 'gripping and psychologically fascinating', seeks to do more than simply recount this most interesting of stories. It gets inside van Meegeren's head, and in doing so sheds new light on one of the most intriguing characters the art world has ever seen.
This is just a fascinating story, brilliantly told. Very highly recommended.
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Hugely enjoyable
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The fascinating story of an obsessive man's effort to gain recognition for his own paintings by passing them off as Vermeer's to the art word, thus proving his own genius was comparable with the master's
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