Crime, Mysteries & Thrillers discussion

Hi all,

This is the thread to discuss The art forger. The discussion leader is Priya. Thank you Priya

I read this for another book club two years ago.
By now I don't remember a thing other than that she started out pure and got sucked in.

Hey All,

I am Priya and this is my first time leading a discussion here.
Chava did mention that this book has already been read. I guess there will be a few like me who missed it. Been wanting to read this for a long time.

Anybody reading this book? I just got my copy from the library.More posts on the go.

Happy reading!
Priya

Hi Priya,
I led the group last time.
I learned a lot about how to forge artworks and how to analyze great works of art.
I felt it was a very interesting look at what lengths someone might go to be successful.

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it was particularly interesting to find she could have been a star with just her own art
unfortunately she had to deal with the art gallery to get noticed.
whether she really had to sleep with the gallery owner is another matter

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Hope you get some spirited discussion.
This was a great book.

Hey Karen,

I am half way into the book. The plot is interesting. I am not into art but this made me search on the paintings and learn its history. And once you learn about the process and the level of work that goes into, it makes you appreciate art more. Ha ha I am going to (try to) forget what I read as the spoiler.

cheers

I thought it was interesting to base the book on an actual art theft, then veer off into fiction.

Just found out that I have this book! Shows you how well I keep track of my books (its on my Kindle). Now that I realize that the group is reading, I will have to get started on it.

Pamela,
You should read this book. I just finished it. It has a very interesting premise. I was never aware such a heist happened. It educates you and takes you on a thrill ride.

Anyone who has read it or reading it, I have a question. If Mona Lisa was a fake.. would you still love it?
I am giving an example of Mona Lisa here, because it has been promoted a lot making us go back to it again and again...
Let's say it is announced that it was not painted by Leonardo da Vinci, would it still be the most famous painting?

Priya wrote: "Anyone who has read it or reading it, I have a question. If Mona Lisa was a fake.. would you still love it?
I am giving an example of Mona Lisa here, because it has been promoted a lot making us go..."

Good questions, Priya! I'm about 18 percent into the book and the premise is very interesting. Right off the bat, you question your own ethics and what you would be willing to do.

I'm popping in to see how everyone is liking this book. I found it to be an ok book. I'm going to look at previous post to see what I've missed.

I'm not sure I loved it knowing it was real...it is much smaller than I thought it would be...and very difficult to get up close to view it.

That was 40 years ago. I don't know how it is presented now.

Playing the devil's advocate here.

From wikipedia on the heist- 'The selection of stolen works puzzled experts, as more valuable artworks were present in the museum'. To get to the finial, they passed by two Raphaels and a Botticelli.

Some really interesting facts. They removed
1. Govaert Flinck's Landscape with an Obelisk (1638) (which at one time was attributed to Rembrandt).
2. A Lady and Gentleman in Black (1633) (the museum says this is a Rembrandt, but some scholars, including the Rembrandt Research Project in Amsterdam, say it is not).

Now, What is your thought on this. Do you think the thieves knew about art? Do you think they were experts and taking out forgeries? Was it random?

Could it have been the starting point for B.A Shapiro?

Here's another interesting angle to the original theft from the New York Times in February:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/01/art...

Pamela wrote: "Here's another interesting angle to the original theft from the New York Times in February:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/01/art..."

Thanks for sharing Pamela. In all likelihood, it looks like it is going to remain unsolved.

Have you completed the book? If so, did you like it? Will it change how you would view a painting again?

I'm halfway through the book and seem to be drawn to it. I would like to know what people think of Claire and Merkel. I started to think that it was a huge mistake for her to trust Merkel at the beginning and another mistake to get as close to him as she has.

Have finished the book. As I got closer to the end, I suspected what would happen, and it did. While it detracted a bit from my enjoyment, it was till a pretty good book. What did others think about reading a book with as much art history, details about painting and forgery, etc.?

On Claire and Markel.. The more I thought, the harder it got to decide whether Claire was completely innocent. Probably, the story line of her volunteering efforts makes the character difficult to dislike. Was it because of circumstance that she undertook the duplication or would she have done it anyway?

I could see where the story was heading. This book however has made me respect artisans more. Apart from the talent to sketch, the techniques are so elaborate, no wonder the paintings are that precious.

That's true! Would she have taken it on if she had achieved at least some success under her own name? I think she just might have.

Thanks for sharing, Priya.