Han van Meegeren

Han van Meegeren was a Dutch painter renowned for creating highly convincing forgeries of famous art, especially works by Johannes Vermeer. In the 1930s and 1940s, he forged and sold these forgeries as authentic, which caused significant scandal when uncovered. During World War II, van Meegeren also became involved in a controversial act: he sold a forgery to the Nazi-backed government, claiming it was a Vermeer, to gain favor and profit. His deception was eventually exposed, leading to his arrest. Despite his notoriety, van Meegeren is also celebrated for his skill as a painter and for his clever, complex forgeries.