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The forger's spell : a true story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the greatest art hoax of the twentieth century
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The forger's spell : a true story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the greatest art hoax of the twentieth century

by Edward Dolnick

This book tells the true story of Han van Meegeren, a minor Dutch painter who successfully forged the works of Johannes Vermeer. Using psychological manipulation, he fooled art experts and Nazi leader Hermann Goering for seven years before facing trial in Amsterdam.

Accession 15308 ISBN 9780060825416 Publisher HarperCollins, Harper
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The forger's spell : a true story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the greatest art hoax of the twentieth century spine
The forger's spell : a true story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the greatest art hoax of the twentieth century cover
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TAGS
Curated Derived
Art Artists Crime Culture History Law Painting Social Sciences
CONNECTIONS
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State
on_shelf
True
position_updated_at
2026-06-03 16:57
orientation
vertical
Details

Physical

binding_type
Hard Back
dimensions
none captured
spine_text
none captured

Metadata

Book form
LOCATION HISTORY
G:N1:30 6 Current vertical
2 days, 19 hours ago
Book Location
Updated 2 days, 19 hours ago
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Identity

name→ title
The forger's spell : a true story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the greatest art hoax of the twentieth century
vernon_id
24094
accession_no→ accession_number
15308
vernon_slug
the-forgers-spell-a-true-story-of-vermeer-nazis-and-the-greatest-art-hoax-of-the-twentieth-century-edward-dolnick

Drives Pulse state

curr_loc_status→ on_shelf
On Shelf
location_name
Zone N1/Level 1/Phrontisterion/MONA
location_reason
On Shelf
isbn_issn→ isbn (when valid)
9780060825416

Descriptive

production_date
2008
object_type
Books/Document genres/Information forms/Visual and Verbal Communication
object_status
Accessioned
brief_description
The con man's mark was Hermann Goering [...] 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. -- blurb

Subjects & people

authors→ author (initial fill only)
Edward Dolnick
tags→ tags
Art, Arts, Painting, Graphic arts, History, Social sciences, Civilisation, Sociology, Social history, Crime, Social problems, World history, History, Modern -- 20th century, World War, 1939-1945, Portrait painting, Arts -- Forgeries, Forgery, Fraud, Commercial crimes, Painting -- Forgeries, Trials (Forgery)
subject_people
Abraham Bredius (Dutch, b.1855, d.1946), Adolf Hitler (German, b.1889, d.1945), Hans van Meegeren (Dutch, b.1889, d.1947), Hermann Göring (German, b.1893, d.1946), Johannes Vermeer (b.1632, d.1675), Joseph Duveen, Baron of Millbank (English, b.1869, d.1939), Michelangelo Caravaggio (Italian, b.1571, d.1610), Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, b.1606, d.1669)
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Cover image

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