Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang

II. Perspectives
was one thing van Meegeren had not
There
on: no one believed his confession. It
counted
one of the officers who naively suggested
was
if van Meegeren had painted Göring’s
that
he could paint a copy from memory.
Vermeer,
Meegeren arrogantly refused. ‘To paint
Van
copy is no proof of artistic talent. In all my
a
I have never painted a copy! But I shall
career
a pair or small group consider the
In
questions.
following
On what basis can van Meegeren’s
1.
be doubted?
claims
been denounced by the press as a
“Having
a ‘Dutch Nazi artist’, van Meegeren
traitor,
now a folk hero—the man who had
was
Göring. The Reichsmarschall was
swindled
that his beloved Vermeer was a forgery
told
awaiting execution in Nuremberg.
while
to a contemporary account:
According
looked as if for the first time he
‘[Göring]
the wake of his confession and the
In
it caused, van Meegeren truly
scandal
the fame he had craved. The trial,
knew
it came, was a three-ring circus.
when
tripped over each other to
Experts
themselves. Van Meegeren—
exculpate
than the prosecuting counsel—was
more
that he should be found
determined
of committing these ‘masterpieces’,
guilty
even now, experts conspired against
but
arguing that at least one of his
him,
might be genuine.
forgeries
this video produced by Museum Boijmans,
In
Wessles offers a quick summary of the
Hans
Meergen affair, using news clips and
van
from van Meegeren’s trial.
footage
you a new Vermeer. I shall paint you a
paint
masterpiece.’
so, surrounded by reporters and courtappointed
And
witnesses, and supplied with liberal
of alcohol and morphine, he worked
quantities
six weeks painting one final ‘Vermeer’, in
for
desperate attempt to prove himself guilty.”
a
2006)
(Wynne
Can it be proved that he was or was not
3.
the truth, and how?
telling
the end, however, van Meegeren got his
In
on November 12, 1947 he was found
wish:
of obtaining money by deception
guilty
sentenced to one year’s imprisonment.
and
he would never serve a day of his
But
While prosecution and defence
sentence.
to secure a full public pardon
wrangled
the Queen, the forger—long a
from
hypochondriac—finally
consummate
to angina. He was hospitalised
succumbed
the day before he was scheduled to
on
his sentence and died some weeks
serve
van Meegeren’s greatest gift to the
Han
world is doubt. If forgers throughout
art
ages have taught us anything, it is to
the
why we love what we love,
re-examine
overcome our obsession with simple
to
and appreciate the work for
authenticity
terms: “Van Meegeren’s
Search
Vermeers” YouTube
fake
10
For discussion
Disbelief, proof and evidence
What would count as sufficient
2.
of his claims?
evidence
had discovered there was evil in the world.’
later.
itself.” (Wynne 2006)
290