Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang
time had come, van Meegeren felt, to“Thehimself on his critics. He devised arevengeto paint a perfect Vermeer—neither aplannor a pastiche, but an original work—copy,when it had been authenticated byand,art experts, acquired by a majorleadingexhibited and acclaimed, he wouldmuseum,his hoax to the world.announcefirst step was concocting an ingeniousHisof pigments that ‘would pass themixturetests which any genuine 17th-centuryfivemust pass’. Now he had only topaintingSupper at Emmaus was unlike anyTheVermeer painting. Vanacknowledgedtrue to his perversely moralMeegeren,painted it in his own style, addingscheme,subtle allusions to works by the Dutchonlybefore signing it with the requisitemaster,He had it submitted to Abrahamflourish.the most eminent authority onBredius,consider how objectivity complicatesLet’sstory and the field of art more generally.thisWhat does it mean to say that a piece of1.is objectively good or objectively bad?art2. On what basis can objectivity be:(a) claimedless than six years, van Meegeren would“Ina further six ‘Vermeers’, earning thepaintof $60 million. With money, cameequivalent… . vicevan Meegeren’s addictions to alcohol andAstook hold, and the standard of hismorphineplummeted, still experts acceptedforgeriesas genuine. He discovered that, regardlessthemhow incompetent his painting, how crudeofanatomy, how uncertain the provenance,hisbaroque art of his day, and the criticDutchthe bait … .tookthe world was at van Meegeren’sSuddenlyThe Supper at Emmaus was bought by thefeet.Boijmans Gallery in Rotterdam forprestigiousequivalent of $6 million. More importantlythevan Meegeren, it was advertised asforcentrepiece, the crowning glory of thetheexhibition, 400 Years of Europeangallery’sArt.the exhibition, van Meegeren wouldDuringproclaim the painting a forgery,loudlycrude pastiche, and listen as the finestaof his generation persuaded him thatmindspainting was a genuine Vermeer. Hishiswas now complete. He had only totriumphwhat he had promised himself: to standdoand claim the work for himself, therebyupfools of his critics. Instead, within amakinghe was working on a new forgery.”month,(b) disputed?Are there certain claims in art—about an3.origin, meaning, quality, valueartwork’sso on—that can be objective, andandthat cannot?othersWhat are the implications of claiming4.objectivity is impossible in art?thatmost erudite Vermeer critics were preparedthesanctify his work. His one mistake had beentoallow one of his paintings to fall into enemytoGermany) hands.(Naziexpert eye discovered van Meegeren’sNoHe was unmasked only because,forgery.six weeks in prison, he cracked: ‘Fools!’afterroared at his jailers. ‘You think I sold aheVermeer to Göring? There was nopricelesspainted it myself.’Vermeer—III. PerspectivesII. Perspectivespaint a masterpiece.(Wynne 2006)For discussionObjectivity289
II. Perspectiveswas one thing van Meegeren had notThereon: no one believed his confession. Itcountedone of the officers who naively suggestedwasif van Meegeren had painted Göring’sthathe could paint a copy from memory.Vermeer,Meegeren arrogantly refused. ‘To paintVancopy is no proof of artistic talent. In all myaI have never painted a copy! But I shallcareera pair or small group consider theInquestions.followingOn what basis can van Meegeren’s1.be doubted?claimsbeen denounced by the press as a“Havinga ‘Dutch Nazi artist’, van Meegerentraitor,now a folk hero—the man who hadwasGöring. The Reichsmarschall wasswindledthat his beloved Vermeer was a forgerytoldawaiting execution in Nuremberg.whileto a contemporary account:Accordinglooked as if for the first time he‘[Göring]the wake of his confession and theInit caused, van Meegeren trulyscandalthe fame he had craved. The trial,knewit came, was a three-ring circus.whentripped over each other toExpertsthemselves. Van Meegeren—exculpatethan the prosecuting counsel—wasmorethat he should be founddeterminedof committing these ‘masterpieces’,guiltyeven now, experts conspired againstbutarguing that at least one of hishim,might be genuine.forgeriesthis video produced by Museum Boijmans,InWessles offers a quick summary of theHansMeergen affair, using news clips andvanfrom van Meegeren’s trial.footageyou a new Vermeer. I shall paint you apaintmasterpiece.’so, surrounded by reporters and courtappointedAndwitnesses, and supplied with liberalof alcohol and morphine, he workedquantitiessix weeks painting one final ‘Vermeer’, infordesperate attempt to prove himself guilty.”a2006)(WynneCan it be proved that he was or was not3.the truth, and how?tellingthe end, however, van Meegeren got hisInon November 12, 1947 he was foundwish:of obtaining money by deceptionguiltysentenced to one year’s imprisonment.andhe would never serve a day of hisButWhile prosecution and defencesentence.to secure a full public pardonwrangledthe Queen, the forger—long afromhypochondriac—finallyconsummateto angina. He was hospitalisedsuccumbedthe day before he was scheduled toonhis sentence and died some weeksservevan Meegeren’s greatest gift to theHanworld is doubt. If forgers throughoutartages have taught us anything, it is tothewhy we love what we love,re-examineovercome our obsession with simpletoand appreciate the work forauthenticityterms: “Van Meegeren’sSearchVermeers” YouTubefake10For discussionDisbelief, proof and evidenceWhat would count as sufficient2.of his claims?evidencehad discovered there was evil in the world.’later.itself.” (Wynne 2006)290
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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