Jacques van Meegeren
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Jacques Henri Emil van Meegeren (26 August 1912 – 26 October 1977) was a
Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...
illustrator An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. The illustration may be intended to clarify complicat ...
and
painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...
. He is also considered to be a
forger Forgery is a white-collar crime that generally refers to the false making or material alteration of a legal instrument with the specific intent to defraud anyone (other than themself). Tampering with a certain legal instrument may be forbidd ...
of the work of his father,
Han van Meegeren Henricus Antonius "Han" van Meegeren (; 10 October 1889 – 30 December 1947) was a Dutch painter and portraitist, considered one of the most ingenious art forgers of the 20th century. Van Meegeren became a national hero after World War II when ...
, convicted of forging
old master In art history, "Old Master" (or "old master")Old Masters De ...
s and fraud. He was, however, less gifted and his forgeries adversely affected the reputation of his father's work.


Life


Youth

Van Meegeren was born 26 August 1912 in the small village of
Rijswijk Rijswijk (), formerly known as Ryswick ( ) in English, is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Its population was in , and it has an area of , of which is water. The municipality also includes t ...
, near
The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
, the Netherlands, four months after the marriage of his parents. His father was
Han van Meegeren Henricus Antonius "Han" van Meegeren (; 10 October 1889 – 30 December 1947) was a Dutch painter and portraitist, considered one of the most ingenious art forgers of the 20th century. Van Meegeren became a national hero after World War II when ...
, who later became known as an art forger, while his mother was descended from an
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
n royal family. In 1915, his sister Inez was born. Van Meegeren adored his father and loved being allowed to go to his father's
studio A studio is an artist or worker's workroom. This can be for the purpose of acting, architecture, painting, pottery (ceramics), sculpture, origami, woodworking, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, industrial design ...
and help him by cleaning brushes and such. When he grew older, his father took him along to
art dealer An art dealer is a person or company that buys and sells works of art, or acts as the intermediary between the buyers and sellers of art. An art dealer in contemporary art typically seeks out various artists to represent, and builds relationsh ...
s and
museums A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...
, teaching him how to observe and assess
paintings Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...
and other
works of art A work of art, artwork, art piece, piece of art or art object is an artistic creation of aesthetic value. Except for "work of art", which may be used of any work regarded as art in its widest sense, including works from literature ...
. He soon began to sketch and draw, and demonstrated that he had talent for it.


Stay in Indonesia

In 1923, his parents divorced. It is not certain whether Van Meegeren followed his mother to Paris at that time or remained in The Hague. It is known, however, that in 1927 he went with his mother and sister to
Sumatra Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
. They went to live there with his mother's family, who were directly related to the Sultan of Serdang. Van Meegeren attended the government Higher Civic School in nearby
Medan Medan (; English: ) is the capital and largest city of the Indonesian province of North Sumatra, as well as a regional hub and financial centre of Sumatra. According to the National Development Planning Agency, Medan is one of the four main ...
, traveling every day in a steam train.


Choice of a profession

In 1930, when Van Meegeren turned 18, he returned from the
East Indies The East Indies (or simply the Indies), is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The Indies refers to various lands in the East or the Eastern hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainlands found in and around t ...
. His father was happy to see his son and took him to his many friends, fellow-artists of
The Hague Art Circle The Haagse Kunstkring (English The Hague Art Circle) is an association in The Hague for artists and art lovers. Among the members are visual artists, architects, writers, recitation artists, photographers, musicians and designers. The association ...
, painters and actors. They visited theatres and restaurants; for Jacques van Meegeren, it was a joyful introduction to the high life of The Hague where his father spent money freely. Van Meegeren was warned by his father to not become an artist, as it was too uncertain a profession. Van Meegeren studied
electrical engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...
at the
Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...
in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, though he continued to paint and draw as his father had done in his youth.


Paris


Student years

From 1931, Van Meegeren studied in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
. He lived in an attractive studio on Boulevard Raspail and enjoyed an ample allowance from his father. Van Meegeren received a letter from his cousins, the Prince Royal of Serdang and the Prince Royal of Deli, Sumatra. They came to visit the
Colonial Exhibition A colonial exhibition was a type of international exhibition that was held to boost trade. During the 1880s and beyond, colonial exhibitions had the additional aim of bolstering popular support for the various colonial empires ...
in Paris featuring exotic temples and pavilions, with the Balinese-style pavilion of the
Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, which ...
being the finest of all. The princes asked van Meegeren to make up their daily program. During the day they had to pay official visits, but after these they changed into street clothing and their jewels were hidden in the hotel safe, but they still wore their velvet ''topies'' (Indonesian caps). In all the Parisian nightclubs the group frequented, Van Meegeren was seen as a kind of leader. The most attractive Parisian and foreign "vedettes" were nightly in their company. The French actress
Mistinguett Mistinguett (, born Jeanne Florentine Bourgeois; 5 April 1873 – 5 January 1956) was a French actress and singer. She was at one time the highest-paid female entertainer in the world. Early life The daughter of Antoine Bourgeois, a 31-year- ...
was besotted with the Prince Royal of Deli and followed him everywhere. The partying lasted a month.


Relationship with his father

After his studies ended, Van Meegeren worked for a period in the electro-technical industry, but a regular lifestyle did not suit him. He became a
journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...
and
illustrator An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. The illustration may be intended to clarify complicat ...
, and worked for Parisian magazines, while continuing to receive an allowance from his father. Van Meegeren paid incidental visits to his father who lived at that time in Roquebrune,
Southern France Southern France, also known as the South of France or colloquially in French language, French as , is a defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Marais Poitevin,Louis Papy, ''Le midi ...
. In 1938, his father suggested that Van Meegeren should visit the exhibition of paintings of the
Dutch Golden Age The Dutch Golden Age ( nl, Gouden Eeuw ) was a period in the history of the Netherlands, roughly spanning the era from 1588 (the birth of the Dutch Republic) to 1672 (the Rampjaar, "Disaster Year"), in which Dutch trade, science, and Dutch art, ...
in
Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...
, and have a special look at the newly discovered ''
Supper at Emmaus According to the Gospel of Luke, the road to Emmaus appearance is one of the early post-resurrection appearances of Jesus after his crucifixion and the discovery of the empty tomb. Both the meeting on the road to Emmaus and the subsequent supper ...
'' by
Vermeer Johannes Vermeer ( , , see below; also known as Jan Vermeer; October 1632 – 15 December 1675) was a Dutch Baroque Period painter who specialized in domestic interior scenes of middle-class life. During his lifetime, he was a moderately succe ...
. When his father later asked Van Meegeren about the impression the picture had made on him, Van Meegeren replied: His father did not speak another word and Van Meegeren kept his father's secret. They did not discuss the matter again until 1945, when the fake came to light.


Marriage

On 22 September 1938, Van Meegeren married Lucienne Combey, a girl from
Annecy Annecy ( , ; frp, Èneci or ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France. It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy, south of Geneva, Switzerland. Nicknamed ...
near the
Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina *Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses *Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss Internation ...
border. Opposition by the family – especially by her father – was severe, but the couple persevered. They went to live in Paris at a better address than a starting journalist could afford, helped by his father, who had already earned much from his forgeries. In 1939, their daughter Michèle was born; and in 1942, their daughter Chantal.Personal Card J.H. van Meegeren, Institute Genealogy The Hague During
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the couple lived in Paris until 1940. Van Meegeren traveled between Paris and the Netherlands which was remarkable during wartime. He also had a home in Amsterdam. Around the end of the war, Lucienne and their two children went to live with her parents in Annecy, as food had become scarce in Paris. After the war, Van Meegeren traveled to the Netherlands to help his father, who had been arrested for his fraud with the ''Supper at Emmaus'' and other fake paintings. Van Meegeren didn't unite with his family in Annecy and had no money to help them out. He only wrote letters with vague plans and futile promises for money. In a sense he abandoned his family. After a while, Lucienne got tired of his promises and went her own way. She refused to divorce Van Meegeren, which later prevented him from marrying another woman.


A new career


Amsterdam

From 1946, Van Meegeren lived in Amsterdam in the house at the Amstel-quay, where he was registered since 1940. His father, however, didn't need much help; on the contrary, he helped his son to become a painter. When Han taught his son to paint portraits, he was a stern tutor, making him start over at any flaw. Han used to say: "What you have done once, you will do better next time." Van Meegeren became a capable portraitist and his father's best pupil. Van Meegeren's goal was to render the underlying character of a model in his paintings, particularly when children were concerned. After two years waiting, his father's trial began in October 1947. Jacques van Meegeren attended the trial, as did as his sister Inez. It was an emotional experience for him. In the end, his father was sentenced to one year in prison, but soon after the verdict was delivered the elder Van Meegeren fell ill and was admitted to a private clinic in Amsterdam, where he died. Van Meegeren made a drawing of his father lying in state in his home in Amsterdam, and delivered a brief
eulogy A eulogy (from , ''eulogia'', Classical Greek, ''eu'' for "well" or "true", ''logia'' for "words" or "text", together for "praise") is a speech or writing in praise of a person or persons, especially one who recently died or retired, or as a ...
at the funeral, ending with: "Too many young artists think that skillful drawing and command of painting techniques are no longer necessary to become an honest artist. They would do well to take an example from my father." As so often had happened with Han van Meegeren's words, this statement of his son was wrongly interpreted by one of the Netherlands' newspapers: "Museum directors take care! The son of Han van Meegeren has said that artists today should use his father as an example." Van Meegeren continued to paint and became successful. He received commissions for portraits all over the country and had exhibitions in several towns. He also went to Paris and worked as a
scenery Theatrical scenery is that which is used as a setting for a theatrical production. Scenery may be just about anything, from a single chair to an elaborately re-created street, no matter how large or how small, whether the item was custom-made or ...
painter with the ''American Theatre'' and lead a bohemian life. In 1954, he met his estranged wife for the last time in Annecy, and made a portrait of his eldest daughter (age 15) but there followed no reconciliation.


France

Van Meegeren continued to live and work in Amsterdam and met his second partner in life: Juliette Ledel. In 1957, he traveled with her to Nice where he sold his father's villa. They bought a house in nearby Laghet, and settled there. Van Meegeren worked as a painter and
portrait A portrait is a portrait painting, painting, portrait photography, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, Personality type ...
ist and they both mixed with the local population and started to play
pétanque Pétanque (, ; oc, petanca, , also or ) is a sport that falls into the category of boules sports, along with raffa, bocce, boule lyonnaise, lawn bowls, and crown green bowling. In all of these sports, players or teams play their boules/balls ...
, the popular sport of Southern France.''Riviera Gazette'', Nice, 16 December 1959 One of the commissions Van Meegeren obtained was the creation of a painted War Memorial, of which he was very proud. In 1959, the couple invested all their money and energy in a private exhibition of Jacques van Meegeren's work in Nice. However, a few days before the opening of the exhibition, Nice was flooded. No public came and no publicity was obtained; Van Meegeren suffered a mental depression which lasted several months.


Netherlands again

In 1962, Van Meegeren and Ledel returned to the Netherlands without any money. They were lured to Amsterdam by a plan for a
Hollywood movie The cinema of the United States, consisting mainly of major film studios (also known as Hollywood) along with some independent film, has had a large effect on the global film industry since the early 20th century. The dominant style of Am ...
about his father. Van Meegeren was invited to take part in it and to consult the crew about the details of his father's life. However, the project was dropped and no movie was made. The couple was left without money, always changing their address and living in poorer circumstances. Desperate for money, Van Meegeren started to paint and sell pictures with his father's
signature A signature (; from la, signare, "to sign") is a handwritten (and often stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. The writer of a ...
which fetched far better prizes than his own work.''Holland Herald'', Volume 10, number 6, (1975) p. 26 In the last year of his life he met a nurse – a Mrs. Van de Biggelaar – who had known him as a boy. He told her the story of his life and confessed that he had abandoned his wife and children. He also admitted that he had made fake pictures with the signature of his father. A year later, in 1977, Jacques van Meegeren died, a poor and lonely man. Juliette Ledel was no longer with him, though it is not known whether she had left him or had died. His funeral was organized by a remote Indonesian cousin who happened to live in the Netherlands.


Fake Van Meegerens

Jacques van Meegeren was not the only one who faked his father's work. After Han van Meegeren had become known for his forgeries, his own work rose in price and it became worthwhile to fake his paintings. Many existing mediocre paintings got a signature "H. van Meegeren" and new pictures were made in his style. Among these fakes, the imitations by Jacques van Meegeren are the most difficult to distinguish, as he painted in a style that was akin to his father's and was also able to produce a perfect fake signature. He sometimes authenticated their
provenance Provenance (from the French ''provenir'', 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody or location of a historical object. The term was originally mostly used in relation to works of art but is now used in similar senses i ...
by writing a certificate. An interesting case in this respect is the collection of Carlos de Couto, the
Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
ian vice-Consul in Amsterdam. He bought pictures directly from Han van Meegeren and also gave him a commission to paint a portrait of his wife. These pictures were entirely authentic Van Meegerens. He also bought some van Meegerens at auctions which might have been authentic as well. However, he later often lent money to Jacques van Meegeren who paid him back in pictures by "Han van Meegeren". There are good reasons to assume that many of these were made by Jacques van Meegeren and signed with an "authentic signature". The present owner of the collection is now left with the question which of these pictures are authentic and which are fakes. The fake "Van Meegerens" made by Jacques van Meegeren and others are usually of low quality. They are, however, not always recognized as such and have thus adversely affected the reputation of Han van Meegeren's work.


Notes


Sources

* This is a biography of Han van Meegeren which also describes the life of Jacques in the chapters II to V and VIII, and his forgeries in chapter IX. * It describes parts of Jacques' life; Lord Kilbracken was a friend of Jacques. *


External links



section "?Fake?" for pictures of forged van Meegerens. {{DEFAULTSORT:Meegeren, Jacques van 1912 births 1977 deaths 20th-century Dutch painters Art forgers Dutch illustrators Dutch male painters People from Rijswijk 20th-century Dutch male artists