15. Van Meegeren painted his last forgery before experts and the press
Between July and December 1945, using his own prepared materials and techniques, van Meegeren painted Jesus Among the Doctors. He depicted a young Christ, with an open book on his lap, surrounded by scribes and teachers in the temple. Van Meegeren somewhat cheekily used the face of one of the witnesses supervising the work as the model for one of the men in the painting. When examined by experts independently, at least one declared the painting a genuine Vermeer. Only after being presented with the fact of one of the witnesses appearing in the painting did he change his view, though reluctantly.
Van Meegeren remained in custody for several weeks following the completion of Jesus Among the Doctors. Armed with the knowledge of his techniques, including his process for aging the painting, the Goering Vermeer came under further scrutiny. Though some experts continued to affirm it as a genuine Vermeer, the majority accepted it as a forgery. The military authorities released van Meeregen in early 1946. The Dutch public acclaimed him as a national hero, and he played up his version of his story. Though personally nearly destitute, his fortune remained accessible through the co-operation of his ex-wife, who claimed she had had no knowledge of his fraudulent activities. The Dutch government took possession of the Goering painting, as well as Jesus Among the Doctors.