Ken Perenyi’s introduction to the world of art forgery came at a young age after reading Hans van Meegeren’s book detailing the techniques he had used to forge Dutch master paintings. After failing to make a living as an artist in his own right, Perenyi turned to van Meegeren’s techniques, but took a more calculated approach by forging the work of lesser-known 18th- and 19th-century American and British artists. After spending 30 years accumulating a small fortune by “discovering” and subsequently selling the fakes to various collectors, Perenyi caught the attention of the FBI and went through a five year investigation. Though he was never officially charged with any crime, Perenyi left the criminal world of forgery behind and gained fame by sharing his story. Along with John Myatt, Perenyi is now gaining further success by making legal “legitimate fakes,” that is, convincing works in the style of another artist labeled and sold under his own name. For a video interview with Perenyi, follow this link.
By Whitney White
Sources:
Alberge, Dalya. “The Art of Deception.” Financial Times. 21 October 2016. https://www.ft.com/content/57b02f00-8ee3-11e6-a72e-b428cb934b78. [accessed 10 March 2021]