This film focus on the life of Elmyr de Hory more than on his forgeries. It is almost a biography, although there is some interesting information about his works and the skill they required. We learn that de Hory probably produced hundreds of works in the styles of different artists, many of which are still in museums today and regarded as authentic. De Hory is distinct from most forgers in that he had enough talent to produce works in the style of artists, without directly copying works. His skill made his forgeries all the more convincing. However, he would sometimes sign the works with his own name, or both his own name and the artist who “inspired” him, suggesting he was not entirely intending to create outright forgeries. In fact, the film emphasizes that de Hory was not the main actor behind the decision to sell his works as authentic, but that Fernand Legros was the real villain. Overall, the film depicts quite a favorable image of Elmyr de Hory as an outgoing, earnest, and talented, yet unrecognized, artist who became caught up in a forgery scheme.
Available on Tubi for free: https://tubitv.com/movies/452356/real-fake-the-art-life-and-crimes-of-elmyr-de-hory?utm_source=google-feed&tracking=google-feed
By Julia Pfau