A Forger's Tale

October 1, 2018

Talented English artist Greenhalgh is comfortable working in various media, including paint, ceramics, and metal. He can even mimic the great ancient Egyptian, Renaissance, and impressionist artists. He has not created much original work because he's spent years perfecting forgeries of famous artists' masterpieces throughout history. Written while Greenhalgh was in prison, this memoir covers how his parents sold his works to dealers, auction houses, and museums. He goes into great detail about how his career in the art of deception began and how he was able to get fakes past supposed art assessment experts; this included devising a false provenance for each item, which led to his eventual capture. Eight pages of color photos of his work are included, but some readers might wonder about the technical explanations of his creations. But this should not deter most from enjoying this often humorous autobiography of an unlikely criminal. VERDICT Fans of art history, art appraisal, and art forgery stories will find much to enjoy in this incredible tale.--Jason L. Steagall, formerly with Gateway Technical Coll. Lib., Elkhorn, WI

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2018
It was an Assyrian relief panel that led Scotland Yard detectives to Greenhalgh's door. After decades producing art in a wide range of mediums and styles?sculptures appearing to date from ancient civilizations, paintings in the style of celebrated artists, purportedly Victorian ceramics?Greenhalgh was convicted of money laundering and conspiracy to commit fraud. This account, written while he was serving his sentence, is a detailed how-dunnit from a master forger, from his early efforts at making copies to his eventual attempts to see how far he could go with his deception. Along the way, he rails against the art dealers who offered him a small percentage of the true value of what they considered rare finds, as well as his treatment in the press after he was discovered. He delves into the technical aspects of his work, such as how to age glass vessels using ash, without entirely revealing all his techniques to avoid fraud detection. At times self-effacing, incensed, and remorseful, Greenhalgh offers a singular perspective on truth and beauty in art.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)