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Fakes and forgeries that fooled the experts

Han Van Meegeren

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'Christ and the Disciples at Emmaus'

Han van Meegeren was a Dutch artist who forged a painting by Johannes Vermeer. He created a piece called "Christ and the Disciples at Emmaus," which was authenticated as a Vermeer by art historian Abraham Bredius and purchased by Rotterdam's Boijmans Gallery for $6 million.

After World War II, the painting was found in the collection of Nazi Field Marshal Hermann Goering. In order to avoid a lengthy prison sentence for colluding with the enemy, Van Meegeren was forced to confess to forgery. He was sentenced to a year imprisonment, but died of angina before he could begin his sentence.

Han Van Meegeren