3. Creating a successful forgery required far more than simply painting
Creating a forgery which fools the experts into believing it legitimate requires attention to details far beyond assuming the style of the master. Significant differences between 17th century canvas and that of the 20th century needed to be addressed. Modern paints contained pigments and binders not available to 17th century painters. Only those pigments known to have been used by the masters could be used in the forgery. Brushes of the materials used by the masters needed to be obtained, and cut in the manner of the artist being copied. Van Meegeren had to copy not only the style of the master, he needed to obtain exact copies of that master’s tools. He needed to recreate the use of light, the use of color, and the exact style and pressure of the brush strokes against the canvas.
Creating the painting required a great deal of planning to make it appear legitimate. Many of the masters created a body of work in different times, described by critics as “periods”. Some created series of paintings based on themes, such as biblical works, or studies of color, described as “blue periods, or yellow periods”. The forged painting which fit into one of these patterns stood a greater chance of gaining certification from experts as legitimate. As a “lost” piece of one such theme, it also stood a greater chance of being highly desired by collectors, carrying with it a higher price at auction. Van Meengeren confidently undertook the challenges presented, motivated by the desire to fool those who derided his work as a legitimate artist. The lure of money also provided the forger with ample motivation to succeed.