Stories from master forger Wolfgang Beltracchi, who explains how it works.

Picture gallery

When Wolfgang Beltracchi was arrested in August 2010, he had already sold several hundred forgeries of old masters, most likely taking in seven figures in euros. Arne Birkenstock interviews Beltracchi after his court case and during his sentence in an open prison, where they visit several of his old studios. Birkenstock emphasizes the incredible dimensions of the Beltracchi case by including interviews with experts from the art industry.

Those who have seen Johannes Flütschs Geschichten vom Fälscher will immediately be reminded of Hansjörg Mühlematter, the brilliant counterfeiter. The German art forger Wolfgang Beltracchi is similar in his propensity for showmanship and in his mastery of the art. When Arne Birkenstock’s over 90-minute film is done, some will wish the art forger would have had time to tell more stories and that his works would have been given more time.