Ah, van Meegeren. I wrote about him in my latest book (in Czech).
There was an element of subtle social engineering to his work. For example, Prof. Bredius, mentioned in the article, strongly believed that Vermeer had a religious period, only not discovered yet. The Supper at Emmaus was intended to confirm his conviction and Bredius was happily fooled.
In the Nazi occupation period, Christ and the Adulteress was intended to reflect stark "Germanic" idea of morality and justice. It was maybe too good, because Goering took interest and inquired about the origin of the work (probably not suspecting it to be fake - rather than stolen). Meegeren was able to mollify him by promising to reveal the origin in two years' time, and the war ultimately proved shorter than that.
This guy was talented, but also a totally amoral manipulator. He didn't only swindle Nazis, but innocent buyers as well.
inglor_cz · · focus · HN ↗
There was an element of subtle social engineering to his work. For example, Prof. Bredius, mentioned in the article, strongly believed that Vermeer had a religious period, only not discovered yet. The Supper at Emmaus was intended to confirm his conviction and Bredius was happily fooled.
In the Nazi occupation period, Christ and the Adulteress was intended to reflect stark "Germanic" idea of morality and justice. It was maybe too good, because Goering took interest and inquired about the origin of the work (probably not suspecting it to be fake - rather than stolen). Meegeren was able to mollify him by promising to reveal the origin in two years' time, and the war ultimately proved shorter than that.
This guy was talented, but also a totally amoral manipulator. He didn't only swindle Nazis, but innocent buyers as well.