The art forger's handbook cover

The art forger's handbook

by Eric Hebborn

This book reveals the secrets of master art forger Eric Hebborn, who fooled the art world for more than 20 years with hundreds of fake Old Masters. Drawings attributed to Bruegel, Piranesi, Corot and Augustus John were unmasked as Hebborn's work in 1980 by London journalist Geraldine Norman. In this book, Hebborn shows how he did it. Shortly before his death in 1996, Hebborn compiled this handbook, revealing the secrets of his techniques, and showing in the process a profound knowledge of the great draughtsmen/artists of the past. Inks, papers, pigments, monograms and signatures are all explained and illustrated, and the tale is told in a witty, entertaining and often outrageous style, as the artist speculates on the nature of art, truth and value.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?