Noah Charney: The art forger who tricked the Nazis

The art forger who tricked the Nazis

It was one of the strangest trials in Dutch history. The defendant in a 1947 case was an art forger who had counterfeited millions of dollars worth of paintings. But he wasn't arguing his innocence— in fact, his life depended on proving that he had committed fraud. Who was this artist, and why was he on trial for his life? Noah Charney investigates the notorious Han van Meegeren. [Directed by Hype CG, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Gabriel Maia].

An embittered artist, dismissed by critics, devised some of history’s most convincing art forgeries and sold them for millions. To avoid execution for treason after World War II, he had to prove he was a fraud, not a collaborator. By mastering the Old Masters’ techniques and exploiting experts’ biases, his fakes passed as lost Vermeers—even deceiving top Nazi officials. The case forever changed how authenticity and reputation intertwine in the art world.