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Elmyr De Hory
(1906-1976)
De Hory, the fabled
Hungarian aristocrat who was born in Hungary in 1906, was one of a
select group of master modern forgers. It includes Dutchman Hans van
Meegeren, who faked Vermeer's, and Englishman David Stein, who focused
on Picasso and Chagall. Recently, the New York Times Magazine profiled
England's latest star forger, John Myatt, a faker of Braque, Matisse and
Giacometti.
De Hory's forged Matisse's, Renoirs and Modigliani's were sold to
private collectors and museums worldwide for almost thirty years. Elmyr
De Hory used his extraordinary talent to paint in the style of some of
the world's greatest artists, including Picasso, Vlaminck, Matisse,
Chagall, Toulouse-Lautrec, Dufy, Derain, Degas, Bonnard, and Modigliani.
His accuracy for detail fooled even the most skilled art connoisseurs
into believing that his creations were authentic. Given their alleged
provenance, Elmyr sold his forgeries for high prices, and managed to
elude Interpol and the FBI for most of his criminal career.
Elmyr De Hory eventually became known worldwide as one of the most
talented and greatest art forgers. Even after his death, Elmyr's works
still attracted attention. Some of them even sold for the same prices as
the originals. Like many famous painters, he would die penniless after a
series of unfortunate events.
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