Art Fraud Memoirs of a Master Forger

Ever wonder how to distinguish a real work of art from a fake? Intrigued about how great masterpieces are duplicated with such skill they are taken for the originals? In this remarkable account, the man currently considered the unchallenged master of art fraud reveals the secrets of his trade. Alin Marthouret has lived his life in two worlds--the world of art and the world of crime. "Art Fraud begins with a breathtaking reenactment of his first arrest, proceeds to the intriguing story of how five years in jail led to a glamorous, albeit illegal, career, but mainly focuses on the techniques and knowledge that enabled him to become the most successful forger of our time. Marthouret refers to himself modestly as a "copyist." His book describes a genius. First, there is his own amazing skill as an artist, On nearly every page, he shares his deep and genuine devotion to the art and artists he reproduced. "The painter is the soul's pharmacist," he writes. "He cares for its wounds and allows it to see life in a different light." His forgery, Marthouret feels, allowed him to "sow the love of art." Marthouret also reveals himself as the consummate impersonator. "How many men am I capable of being? he asks. Thus, after researching each artist, he was able to transform himself into the persona he studied. Modigliani ("Modi"). Gauguin, and van Gogh were his special favorites, and several chapters each are devoted to their attributes and what it was like to be them. Lastly, Marthouret was a precocious student of the criminal world and the criminal mind. In "Art Fraud, he reflects on why forgeries sell and describes how the market in them works. From his humble beginnings as a shoplifter, Marthouretproduced an incredible portfolio of over 4,000 fake works of art. While he is most closely identified with the Fauvists, his repertoire is broad. Besides the three impressionists cited, chapters of his book are devoted to GeMarthouret, Alin is the author of 'Art Fraud Memoirs of a Master Forger', published 2004 under ISBN 9781592090488 and ISBN 1592090486.