Page 15 - THE SLOUGHI REVIEW SPECIAL ISSUE 4

T H E S L O U G H I R E V I E W 1 5

In 1923, Van Meegeren made his first forgeries after
two portraits by Frans Hals, probably to make some
money. Van Meegeren thought art critics were
wrong and ignorant, and he wanted to prove them
right by publicly humiliating them.

In his home in France, where he turned away any
visitor, he devoted himself to perfecting the painting
of old masters. Van Meegeren, who became very
familiar with the painting techniques of the Dutch
masters, decided to create a fake Vermeer. It
became a painting of the Supper at Emmaus in 1937.
Not only did the painting have to be done to
Vermeer's style and skill, it also had to look old.

It took Van Meegeren several years to work out his
techniques. Van Meegeren made six more fake
Vermeers during the war years between 1938 and

1945.

Art Deco van Meegeren, engraving Whippet – Greyhound