When the exquisite Christ at Emmaus was found in the linen closet of a Paris house (TIME, Sept. 19, 1938) it was one of the big art stories of the decade. It was a soft-colored, realistic painting in the early style of Old Master (17th Century) Jan Vermeer. The Christ was authenticated by impeccable Dutch art experts, and bought by Rotterdam's Boymans Museum. Last week, a Dutch Nazi confessed that he had painted the "Vermeer" himself —and, what's more, had knocked off six others, plus two Pieter de Hooches for good measure. Total reward for his labors: $3,024,000.
The master picture-forger was...
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