An Attempt at Art

Masterpieces of world art have always attracted adventurers, thieves and other criminals who have committed unbelievable crimes for the sake of money, power and fame. This is a book about forgery and scandals in the history of arts, of bold thefts, and of disreputable sales of museum valuables. You will learn how the precious Mona Lisa (La Joconde) has become a masterpiece of all times and nations; how a modest Dutch painter, who considered himself a second Vermeer, managed to cheat Goering himself; how one of the greatest museum thefts of the 20th century was arranged, and how the most valuable Russian collection canvases were sold. The book contains twelve “cases”. Each of them is an investigation of “attempt on art”.

Moscow: Slovo, 2009