Jonathan Lopez has drawn on never-before-seen documents from dozens of archives to write a revelatory new biography of the world's most famous forger. Neither unappreciated artist nor antifascist hero, Van Meegeren emerges as an ingenious, dyed-in-the-wool crook who plied the forger's trade far longer than he ever admitted--a talented Mr. Ripley armed with a paintbrush. Lopez also explores a network of illicit commerce that operated across Europe.

Introduction. A liar's biography -- The collaborator -- Beautiful nonsense -- The sphinx of Delft -- Smoke and mirrors -- A happy hunting ground -- The master forger and the Fascist dream -- Sieg Heil! -- Goering gets a Vermeer -- The endgame-- Swept under the rug -- Epilogue. Framing the fake.