From the age of 17, Landis suffered from schizophrenia, a mental disorder that distorts perceptions of reality, affecting how an individual thinks, behaves, and acts. Thus, many believe the need for validation and attention drove his drive to deceive. After dropping out of the Art Institute of Chicago and failing to open his own art gallery, Landis began “donating” works to museums in the 1980s. He went through considerable lengths to sell his work, successfully fooling several museums. Landis frequently forged the works of lesser known 18th- and 19th-century artists. He often disguised himself as a Jesuit priest who wanted to honor his deceased parent’s wishes by donating some of their collected artwork. Outwitting around fifty museums in twenty states, his luck began to run out in 2007 when he encountered Matthew Leininger from the Oklahoma City Museum. Although Landis successfully tricked multiple institutions, he did not make any profits, and therefore never committed a crime. To learn even more about Mark Landis, check out the documentary Art and Craft or read about him in the New Yorker.
By Caroline Scarola
Sources:
Goldstein, Andrew M. “Art Forger Mark Landis on How He Became an Unlikely Folk Hero.” Art Space 27 December 2014. https://www.artspace.com/magazine/interviews_features/qa/mark-landis-interview-52568
Landis, Mark. “Mark Landis: Mysterious Owner.” Intent to Deceive. http://www.intenttodeceive.org/forger-profiles/mark-landis/