Mar 04, 2014 he singlehandedly made the global art market tremble and the leading art experts question their competence. This documentary follows his last days as a free man. And private collections, he adds with a slight touch of sarcasm. The art of forgery, wolfgang and his wife helene beltracchi chat openly and with great wit and charm about their quixotic adventures in an overheated art world ruled by blind greed, and in which apparently no one has an answer to the question as to what is an original, and what is a forgery. The art of forgery explores the life and times of wolfgang beltracchi, a witty and charismatic german art forger and artist who fooled the international. Mar 19, 2015 wolfgang beltracchi, profiled in beltracchi. He singlehandedly made the global art market tremble and the leading art experts question their competence. Gallery finished pictures for sale acrylic and photo on canvas 200 cm x cm or cm x 200 cm.
Wolfgang beltracchi, helene beltracchi, henrik hanstein genre. They would be perfect as the leads in a bigscreen depiction of smirking charlatan wolfgang beltracchi and his striking wife, helene, who are the subjects of the documentary beltracchi. A largerthanlife personality who was responsible for the biggest art forgery. Notorious art forger wolfgang beltracchi out of prison. To some, the german master forger is a genius, but to others hes the most infamous criminal in art history. Iris official movie site now on dvd, bluray and digital download. This man caused the global art market to tremble and leading art experts question their competence.
Watch beltracchi the art of forgery online vimeo on demand. I think i can paint anything, says wolfgang beltracchi, the infamous german art forger, in arne birkenstocks 2014 documentary beltracchi. The art of forgery 2014 the life and work of wolfgang beltracchi, a master forger whose work fooled the international art world for 40 years. Mar 03, 2014 art and law what you need to know about master forger wolfgang beltracchis latest antics. Beltracchi the art of forgery full movie video dailymotion. Follow artsy on twitter follow artsy on facebook follow artsy on instagram. Art forger wolfgang beltracchi and his wife helene arrive for the screening of the film beltracchi the art of forgery in cologne, germany, 25 february 2014. Aug 19, 2015 they would be perfect as the leads in a bigscreen depiction of smirking charlatan wolfgang beltracchi and his striking wife, helene, who are the subjects of the documentary beltracchi. His paintings made their way into museums, galleries, and private collections. The bottom had dropped out of the art market during the gulf war of 199091, and fischer had put his artforgery career on hold. Wolfgang beltracchi was found guilty and charged with forgery and corruption related. Artist and master forger wolfgang beltracchi is profiled, with insights into his life, talent and the international art world that made.
The art of forgery, the german forger wolfgang beltracchi who was sentenced in 2011 to six years in prison but released this year. The film will be distributed worldwide by global screen. If you liked catch me if you can you will like this on netflix trailer. Wolfgang beltracchi born wolfgang fischer on 4 february 1951 is a german art forger and artist who has admitted to forging hundreds of paintings in an international art scam netting millions of euros. The art of forgery provides a fun view and a good starting point for a deeper discussion about the wild ways of the art world and those who fall victim to. Sure, hes a con man who swindled the art world out of. A notquitegreat documentary about the greatest art. Art and law what you need to know about master forger wolfgang beltracchis latest antics. Art forger wolfgang beltracchis multimillion dollar scam. Sep 15, 2015 needless to say, when exposed, beltracchis antics sent shockwaves through the art world, destroying the reputations of numerous experts in the process.
Oct 11, 2014 this thoughtprovoking and amusing documentary focuses on the life and work of wolfgang beltracchi and his wife helene, who for nearly four decades fooled the international art world with the biggest forgery scandal of the postwar era. May 12, 2015 few people in the art world polarize opinion quite like wolfgang beltracchi. He is wolfgang beltracchi, and you may have seen his work, but just dont know it yet. Artist and master forger wolfgang beltracchi is profiled, with insights into his life, talent and. After serving three years of a six year prison sentence the man who made millions out of forged paintings is now freeand still making money from art. Wolfgang beltracchi is a german art forger and artist who has admitted to forging hundreds of paintings in an international art scam netting millions of euros. Needless to say, when exposed, beltracchis antics sent shockwaves through the art world, destroying the reputations of numerous experts in the process. Apr 16, 2014 portrait of the artist as a conman paraic obrien correspondent until he was exposed by using an incorrect pigment, wolfgang beltracchi was the worlds most successful art forger. The art of forgery, a 2014 documentary about beltracchi by german filmmaker arne birkenstock, won the 2014 german film award for best documentary film.
For nearly 40 years the charming and effervescent beltracchi. Dec 29, 2014 my art is everywhere, in many museums wolfgang beltracchi laughs in his interview video with cbs last february. At find thousands of paintings categorized into thousands of categories. Beltracchi is an agreeable raconteur, and is much more knowledgeable than a mere armchair art historian, beltracchi. He may be egotistical and nihilistic, but his genius in undeniable. The incredible rise and fall of highflying art scammers. The secret to all great art forgeries the new republic. Master forger wolfgang beltracchi has the press aflutter with a new documentary, two books, and a slew. The forgery artist wolfgang beltracchi, rather than copying existing artwork, created brand new pieces in the style of famous artists. The minds, motives and methods of the master forgers explores the stories, dramas and human intrigues surrounding the worlds most famous forgeries investigating the motivations of the artists and criminals who have faked great works of art, and in doing so conned the public and the art establishment alike. The forgery to the left was created by beltracchi in the style. The art of forgery is a 2014 documentary biographical crime fiction film written and directed by arne birkenstock.
In 2011, beltracchi was sentenced to six years in prison. The art of forgery is a documentary film about wolfgang beltracchi and the biggest art forgery scandal in post war germany, 90 min. He signed his paintings in the famous artists names, came up with an elaborate backstory as to why the paintings had been hidden away so long. The art of forgery explores the life and times of wolfgang beltracchi, a witty and charismatic german art forger and artist who fooled the international art world with his incredible fakes for more than forty years. The art of forgery is a case in which a great documentary topic. The art of forgery, fooled the art world for decades with his imitations of artists such as picasso and matisse. Beltracchi even photographed his wife posing as her grandmother, with period furniture and his forgeries hanging. Arne birkenstocks father reinhard birkenstock is wolfgang and helene beltracchis legal counsel. Few people in the art world polarize opinion quite like wolfgang beltracchi. August 19 september 1 2 weeks beltracchi the art of forgery written and directed by arne birkenstock germany 2014 93 mins. The art of forgery tells the appealing story of a renowned german art forger who for four decades painted canvases in the style of famous artists that he put on the market, fooling many of the top art experts in the business.
Watch beltracchi the art of forgery online vimeo on demand on vimeo. Wolfgang beltracchi got away with forging art masterpieces for over 40 years. The art of forgery, the german forger wolfgang beltracchi who was sentenced in 2011 to six years in prison but released this year professes to be able. Beltracchi the art of forgery finsterworld american. Memorable quotes and exchanges from movies, tv series and more. Beltracchi the art of forgery 2014 how a single man made millions by faking and imitating some of historys greatest painters. In german with english subtitles kimstim 60 minutes called wolfgang beltracchi a con man of epic proportions and dubbed him and his wife helene, the bonnie and clyde of the art world. A brief history of art forgeryfrom michelangelo to. Art forger wolfgang beltracchi fooled the experts for decades in an art scam that netted him and his partners millions of dollars.
The forger, wolfgang beltracchi, comes across as an unapologetic rogue who, despite finally being caught in 2010 and sentenced to a short term in prison. The art of forgery apart is how breezily compassionate it is toward a master deceiver and how damning its tone is toward a greedy art world that allowed him to flourish. The life and work of wolfgang beltracchi, a master forger whose work fooled the international art world for 40 years. Forger wolfgang beltracchis latest antics artnet news. A mesmerizing, thoughtprovoking yet surprisingly amusing documentary on the life and times of wolfgang beltracchi, who tricked the international art world for. He was then writing and shooting a selffinanced documentary. Beltracchi, together with his wife helene, sold forgeries of alleged works by famous artists, including max ernst, heinrich campendonk, fernand leger and kees van dongen. An expert in art history, theory and painting techniques, beltracchi created original works in the style of such. A notquitegreat documentary about the greatest art forger.
This freespirited german couple made headlines in 2010 after being arrested for pulling off one of the biggest art hoaxes in modern. Dec 08, 2015 60 minutes called wolfgang beltracchi a con man of epic proportions and dubbed him and his wife helene, the bonnie and clyde of the art world. Oct 10, 2014 explore artistnprogresss board beltracchi, followed by 533 people on. The filmmakerspresent the clash between beltracchis views and those of the artworld cognoscenti as an opportunity for an enlightening meditation on the meaning of art and how that meaning gets lost perhaps through highprofile financial. This thoughtprovoking and amusing documentary focuses on the life and work of wolfgang beltracchi and his wife helene, who for nearly four decades fooled the international art world with the biggest forgery scandal of the postwar era.
German art forger wolfgang beltracchi and his wife helene arrive for the screening of the. Watch beltracchi the art of forgery online vimeo on. The life and work of wolfgang beltracchi, a master painting forger. Perhaps the most financially successful forger, wolfgang beltracchi, was discovered in 2010 after 40 years of forging paintings by the likes of. Wolfgang beltracchi, emerged in public a few years ago, along with one of the greatest art scandals of all time. For nearly 40 years the charming and effervescent beltracchi produced. The 63 year old was jailed after he was found guilty of forgery and corruption in relation to 14 works.
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