TOTAL Art Licensing
THE WORLD OF
GENUINE FAKES
In 1999 he was convicted for conspiracy to de-
fraud and was sent to Brixton Prison for twelve
months, but was released after four months for
good behaviour. During his time in prison he
sketched pictures for guards in return for phone
cards and his barrister actually commissioned a
painting. And whilst the police have recovered
many of his forgeries, a large number are still in
circulation around the world.
These days Myatt stays firmly on the right side
of the law by painting his ‘Genuine Fakes’ .
Bringing the story right up to date, Myatt is now
the subject of a major Hollywood film and his
part will be played by a major A-list Hollywood
star. The script has been written by Hollywood
legends Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement. John
Myatt will be producing some of the paintings
for the film and, as an accomplished musician, will
also write some of the music for the project.
During 2007, he will also be the subject of a ma-
Infamous art fraudster, John Myatt, recently 20th century fakes for £200’ and a perfectly le-
jor TV series on a key terrestrial channel look-
launched ‘The Masters Collection’, in collabora- gitimate business venture was born.
ing at how to paint.
tion with Washington Green Fine Art Publish- Then Myatt received a call from a ‘Professor
However, as he explained, life has somehow
ing. Drewe’ who claimed to be a nuclear physicist
moved full circle. “I was amazed to see on the
The collection was unveiled as a new limited wanting to purchase paintings to decorate his
internet that my fakes are now being forged”, he
edition collection of prints, in the style of Mon- home. Myatt obliged with paintings in the style
said with a smile.
et. The line debuted at Birmingham’s Spring Fair of Matisse, Klee and two 17th Century Dutch
where examples of the new collection sat along- Masters. One evening Drewe
side a Monet original. phoned Myatt,
Myatt’s story reads like
Whilst the police have
“I took one of
pages of fiction. As the
recovered many of his
your paintings to
songwriter behind a Christie’s and they
Top 40 one hit wonder
forgeries, a large number
said it was worth
‘Silly Games’ in 1979, he
are still in circulation.
£30,000.”
ironically found it harder Myatt says: “That
to get a break as an artist. Left alone with two was the moment when the le-
young children to support, he worked as an art gitimate business stopped and
teacher to pay the bills. “I spent all day teaching the crime began. My mistake
other people’s children and had no time for my was showing an interest.”
own,” he says. “I needed to find a way to work He rapidly painted his way
at home.” through 20th century art his-
Looking for inspiration, he remembered that tory: Ben Nicholson, Nicolas
a few years earlier a friend had offered to pay de Stael, Le Corbusier, Mat-
him £300 to copy a painting by the French Post isse, Roger Bissiere.
Impressionist Raoul Dufy. His friend had been Despite Drewe’s reassuranc-
delighted with the result. At the time Myatt had es, Myatt’s gut feeling was that
shrugged off the compliment. But, in 1986 he the illegal enterprise would
placed a classified ad in Private Eye, ‘19th and all end in tears…and it did.
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