Comments on: How to Fake A Vermeer http://lookingaround.blogs.time.com/2008/08/27/how_to_fake_a_vermeer_1/ Reflections on art and architecture by TIME critic Richard Lacayo. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:49:16 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Jonathan Lopez http://lookingaround.blogs.time.com/2008/08/27/how_to_fake_a_vermeer_1/comment-page-1/#comment-304 Jonathan Lopez Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:05:19 +0000 http://lookingaround.blogs.time.com/2008/08/27/how_to_fake_a_vermeer_1/#comment-304 Dear Mr. Lacayo, Many thanks for your generous and thoughtful review of my book! If I may, I’d like to clarify one small point of misunderstanding. As you correctly note, Edward Dolnick, the author of the other book on Van Meegeren, accepts the older attribution of Andrew Mellon’s two fake Vermeers, ascribing them to Theo van Wijngaarden, the mentor of Han van Meegeren. Appropriately, Dolnick cites the opinion expressed by National Gallery curator Arthur Wheelock in an influential article published more than a decade ago. It is important to note that my attribution of these works to Van Meegeren is a more recent development. Drawing upon new archival evidence, close visual analysis, and lengthy interviews with the Van Wijngaarden family, I published a scholarly article on this subject in the London-based Apollo Magazine earlier this year after lengthy consultation with Arthur Wheelock, who has said that he finds my argument compelling. Indeed the older attribution to Theo van Wijngaarden is, as I demonstrate in the article, unlikely in the extreme. Other notable scholars, including Albert Blankert, also agree with me on the attribution to Van Meegeren. For those interested in learning more, the National Gallery of Art in Washington (where Mellon's fakes are kept in storage) has invited me to deliver a lecture on this topic on January 11, as part of the Sunday lecture series (2:00pm East Building Auditorium, free and open to the public). In any event, thanks again, Mr. Lacayo, for the insightful and well-written review. All best wishes, Jonathan Lopez author of The Man Who Made Vermeers PS: Regarding the link between Van Meegeren’s ultra-nationalist right-wing politics and his career as an art forger--which is the central theme of my book--I have an article on that subject in the current issue of De Groene Amsterdammer. Link to the Apollo article on Mellon’s fakes: <a href="http://www.apollo-magazine.com/features/804571/van-meegerens-early-vermeers.thtml" rel="nofollow">http://www.apollo-magazine.com/features/804571/van-meegerens-early-vermeers.thtml</a> Link to the article in De Groene: <a href="http://www.groene.nl/2008/35/DE_ESSENTIE_VAN_DE_VERVALSER" rel="nofollow">http://www.groene.nl/2008/35/DE_ESSENTIE_VAN_DE_VERVALSER</a> Further info on the book: <a href="http://www.themanwhomadevermeers.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.themanwhomadevermeers.com</a> Dear Mr. Lacayo,

Many thanks for your generous and thoughtful review of my book!

If I may, I'd like to clarify one small point of misunderstanding. As you correctly note, Edward Dolnick, the author of the other book on Van Meegeren, accepts the older attribution of Andrew Mellon's two fake Vermeers, ascribing them to Theo van Wijngaarden, the mentor of Han van Meegeren. Appropriately, Dolnick cites the opinion expressed by National Gallery curator Arthur Wheelock in an influential article published more than a decade ago.

It is important to note that my attribution of these works to Van Meegeren is a more recent development. Drawing upon new archival evidence, close visual analysis, and lengthy interviews with the Van Wijngaarden family, I published a scholarly article on this subject in the London-based Apollo Magazine earlier this year after lengthy consultation with Arthur Wheelock, who has said that he finds my argument compelling. Indeed the older attribution to Theo van Wijngaarden is, as I demonstrate in the article, unlikely in the extreme. Other notable scholars, including Albert Blankert, also agree with me on the attribution to Van Meegeren. For those interested in learning more, the National Gallery of Art in Washington (where Mellon's fakes are kept in storage) has invited me to deliver a lecture on this topic on January 11, as part of the Sunday lecture series (2:00pm East Building Auditorium, free and open to the public).

In any event, thanks again, Mr. Lacayo, for the insightful and well-written review.

All best wishes,

Jonathan Lopez
author of The Man Who Made Vermeers

PS: Regarding the link between Van Meegeren's ultra-nationalist right-wing politics and his career as an art forger--which is the central theme of my book--I have an article on that subject in the current issue of De Groene Amsterdammer.

Link to the Apollo article on Mellon's fakes: http://www.apollo-magazine.com/features/804571/van-meegerens-early-vermeers.thtml

Link to the article in De Groene: http://www.groene.nl/2008/35/DE_ESSENTIE_VAN_DE_VERVALSER

Further info on the book: http://www.themanwhomadevermeers.com

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