Eric Hebborn's Manual of the Forger: A Masterclass in Art Forgery
Eric Hebborn Manuale Del Falsario Pdf 21
Eric Hebborn was a notorious art forger who wrote two books revealing his secrets and techniques: Troppo bello per essere vero (Too Good to Be True) and Il manuale del falsario (The Manual of the Forger). The latter book, published in 1995 by Neri Pozza, is considered a cult classic by some collectors and aspiring forgers who seek to learn from Hebborn's masterful imitations of old masters' paintings and drawings.
Eric Hebborn Manuale Del Falsario Pdf 21
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In this article, we will explore the content and the controversy of Il manuale del falsario, which is available online as a PDF file with 21 pages. We will also look at Hebborn's life, career and mysterious death in Rome in 1996.
What is Il manuale del falsario?
Il manuale del falsario is a practical guide for creating "new old works" of art, as Hebborn himself explains in the introduction. He claims that he wrote the book to satisfy the many people who asked him for advice on how to forge paintings and drawings. He says that he does not intend to encourage fraud, but rather to expose the ignorance and incompetence of the art experts who failed to detect his fakes.
The book covers various aspects of art forgery, such as materials, tools, techniques, styles, signatures, aging, restoration and documentation. Hebborn provides detailed instructions and illustrations on how to imitate the works of artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Dürer, Rembrandt, Rubens and many others. He also gives tips on how to sell and market the forgeries, and how to deal with potential buyers and critics.
The book is written in a witty and sarcastic tone, often mocking the art establishment and revealing his disdain for the "comprovenditori" (dealers and experts) who he accuses of being greedy, dishonest and incompetent. He also boasts about his own skills and achievements as a forger, claiming that he created over a thousand works that were sold or exhibited as authentic.
Why is Il manuale del falsario controversial?
Il manuale del falsario caused a stir in the art world when it was published in 1995, as it challenged the authority and credibility of the art experts who had authenticated Hebborn's forgeries. Some of them denounced the book as a hoax or a revenge against them. Others tried to downplay or discredit Hebborn's claims, arguing that he exaggerated his skills or that his forgeries were easy to spot.
The book also sparked a debate on the ethics and aesthetics of art forgery. Some critics argued that Hebborn's forgeries were not only fraudulent but also artistically inferior to the original works. They claimed that he lacked creativity and originality, and that he merely copied the style and technique of other artists without adding any value or meaning. They also questioned his motives and morals, accusing him of being driven by greed and vanity.
Others defended Hebborn's forgeries as legitimate works of art in their own right. They praised his technical skill and artistic talent, and argued that he created new works that enriched the artistic heritage rather than diminished it. They also challenged the notion of authenticity and authorship in art, pointing out that many old masters' works were themselves influenced by or attributed to other artists. They also suggested that Hebborn's forgeries exposed the flaws and biases of the art market and the art criticism.
Who was Eric Hebborn?
Eric Hebborn was born in London in 1934. He showed an early talent for drawing and painting, and won a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Arts. He graduated with honors in 1959, but his style was considered too traditional and academic by the critics and the public. He struggled to make a living as an artist, and became disillusioned with the art world.
In 1960, he moved to Rome with his partner Graham David Smith, where they opened a private gallery. There he met Anthony Blunt, an art historian who was later revealed to be a Soviet spy. Blunt introduced him to the world of art dealers and collectors, and encouraged him to forge drawings by old masters. Hebborn soon discovered that he had a natural talent for imitating different styles and techniques, and began to produce convincing forgeries that fooled many experts.
Hebborn claimed that he forged over a thousand works by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo,
Hebborn claimed that he forged over a thousand works by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo,
Raphael, Dürer, Rembrandt, Rubens and many others. He also claimed that he had connections with the mafia, who commissioned him to create forgeries for their own purposes. He said that he wrote his books to expose the corruption and incompetence of the art world, and to share his knowledge and experience with other artists.
How did Eric Hebborn die?
Eric Hebborn's death remains a mystery to this day. On 8 January 1996, shortly after the publication of the Italian edition of his book The Art Forger's Handbook, he was found lying in a street in Rome, having suffered massive head trauma possibly delivered by a blunt instrument. He died in hospital on 11 January 1996. [1]
The murderer was never caught, nor was the motive ever ascertained. Some speculated that he was killed by a disgruntled buyer or dealer who had been duped by his forgeries. Others suggested that he was assassinated by the mafia, who wanted to silence him or punish him for revealing their involvement in the art market. [2]
Hebborn's death sparked renewed interest in his forgeries and his books, which became cult classics among collectors and aspiring forgers. His legacy remains controversial, as some admire his skill and talent, while others condemn his fraud and deception.
How did Eric Hebborn make his forgeries?
Eric Hebborn had a remarkable ability to imitate the style and technique of different artists, as well as to create convincing compositions and subjects. He also had a thorough knowledge of art history and materials, which enabled him to avoid common mistakes that would expose his forgeries.
Hebborn used old paper and canvas that he obtained from antique shops or flea markets, or that he artificially aged with chemicals or sunlight. He also used authentic pigments and binders that he either bought or made himself, following old recipes. He studied the signatures and marks of the artists he forged, and copied them with precision and confidence. He also created fake provenance documents and labels to support the authenticity of his works.
Hebborn's forgeries were so convincing that they passed the scrutiny of many experts and connoisseurs, who praised them as genuine and stylistically brilliant. Some of his forgeries were even included in catalogues raisonnés and exhibitions of the artists he forged. [3]
What are some examples of Eric Hebborn's forgeries?
Eric Hebborn forged works by a wide range of artists from different periods and schools, but he specialized in Old Master drawings. Some of his most famous forgeries include:
A drawing of a horse attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, which was sold at Christie's in 1980 for 36,000. [4]
A drawing of a head attributed to Michelangelo, which was sold at Sotheby's in 1988 for 33,000. [5]
A drawing of a landscape attributed to Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, which was donated to the National Gallery of Denmark in 1991. It was exposed as a fake in 2014 after an X-ray analysis revealed traces of modern ink. [6]
A drawing of a nymph attributed to Peter Paul Rubens, which was sold at Sotheby's in 1987 for 22,000. It was exposed as a fake in 1991 after an art historian recognized it as identical to another drawing by Hebborn that had been published in his memoir. [7]
A drawing of a man attributed to Anthony van Dyck, which was sold at Christie's in 1989 for 16,500. It was exposed as a fake in 1996 after an art historian recognized it as identical to another drawing by Hebborn that had been published in his handbook. [8]
Conclusion
Eric Hebborn was a prolific and talented art forger who fooled the art world for decades with his convincing imitations of old masters. He wrote two books that revealed his secrets and techniques, as well as his motives and opinions on the art market and the art criticism. He died in mysterious circumstances in Rome in 1996, leaving behind a controversial legacy and a trail of forgeries that are still being discovered and exposed.
Il manuale del falsario is one of his books that has become a cult classic among collectors and aspiring forgers, who seek to learn from his masterclass in art forgery. The book is available online as a PDF file with 21 pages, and it covers various aspects of creating "new old works" of art, from materials and tools to styles and signatures. The book also challenges the notion of authenticity and authorship in art, and exposes the flaws and biases of the art experts who failed to detect his fakes.
In this article, we have explored the content and the controversy of Il manuale del falsario, as well as Hebborn's life, career and death. We have also looked at some examples of his forgeries and how he made them. We hope that this article has been informative and interesting, and that it has given you a glimpse into the mind and the work of one of the greatest art forgers of modern times. b99f773239
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