Wolfgang Beltracchi

Quick Facts

Full Name	Wolfgang Beltracchi
Occupation	Art Forger
Date Of Birth	Feb 4, 1951(1951-02-04)
Age	73
Birthplace	Höxter
Country	Germany
Birth City	North Rhine-Westphalia
Horoscope	Aquarius

Wolfgang Beltracchi Biography

Wolfgang Beltracchi is one of the most popular and richest Art Forger who was born on February 4, 1951 in Höxter, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. To prove the authenticity of the fake art works, Beltracchi and his associates made up stories about their parents who they claimed to have been collectors of art in the 1920s. They named them they claimed to have the Sammlung Knops and Sammlung Werner Jagers. Collection Knops Sammlung Knops (Knops Collection) was allegedly the property of the master tailor Johann Wilhelm Knops from Krefeld the grandfather of Otto Schulte-Kellinghaus; Sammlung Werner Jagers (Werner Jagers Collection) was allegedly the property of Werner Jagers, Helene Beltracchi’s grandfather.

in the 80s Beltracchi was the owner of an art gallery during a brief time along with a business associate. The two fell out, with the business partner making a claim that Beltracchi of stealing art from his home and stealing his artwork, a claim Beltracchi insists on denying.

Fischer met Helene Beltracchi in 1992 and, after marrying in 1993, adopted her surname. Since his release from prison, Wolfgang and Helene Beltracchi have been living and working as artists on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland.

Research by Die Zeit revealed that two versions of the painting exist. The painting offered in Dubai had actually been sold by Sotheby’s in 1993. The painting sold by Sotheby’s in 1994 is different and its whereabouts are unknown.

1978: Grosse Kunstausstellung. Haus der Kunst, Munchen / Deutschland

Wolfgang Beltracchi Net Worth

Wolfgang Beltracchi is one of the richest Art Forger from Germany. According to our analysis, Wikipedia, Forbes & Business Insider, Wolfgang Beltracchi 's net worth $5 Million. (Last Update: December 11, 2023)

Wolfgang Fischer was born 4 February 1951 in Hoxter, Germany and grew up in Geilenkirchen, Germany. The father of Wolfgang Fischer was an artist restaurateur and muralist.

Wolfgang Beltracchi (born Wolfgang Fischer on February 4, 1951) is a German artist and art forger who admitted to creating hundreds of fake paintings in an international art fraud, which netted hundreds of millions of dollars. Beltracchi along with his wife Helene made fakes of works of famous artists, such as Max Ernst, Heinrich Campendonk, Fernand Leger and Kees van Dongen. Even though he was convicted of forging 14 works art, which sold at a total of $45m (PS28.6m) Beltracchi claimed to have faked “about 50” artists. The estimated total earnings Beltracchi earned from his counterfeits is more than $100 million.

In 1987 Loretto Molzahn, widow of Johannes Molzahn, paid a Berlin dealer DM60,000 for a portrait her husband had painted in 1930 of Oskar Schlemmer. The dealer had acquired the painting from Wolfgang Fischer. The painting proved to be fake and the Berlin dealer was given a suspended sentence in 1998.

Height, Weight & Body Measurements

Wolfgang Beltracchi height Not available right now. Wolfgang weight Not Known & body measurements will update soon.

Who is Wolfgang Beltracchi Dating?

According to our records, Wolfgang Beltracchi married to Helene Beltracchi. As of December 1, 2023, Wolfgang Beltracchi’s is not dating anyone.

Relationships Record : We have no records of past relationships for Wolfgang Beltracchi. You may help us to build the dating records for Wolfgang Beltracchi!

Wolfgang and Helene Beltracchi were arrested 27 August 2010 in Freiburg. Their accomplice Otto Schulte-Kellinghaus , who helped place several of the forgeries in the market, was arrested 1 December 2010.

Facts & Trivia

Wolfgang Ranked on the list of most popular Art Forger. Also ranked in the elit list of famous people born in Germany. Wolfgang Beltracchi celebrates birthday on February 4 of every year.

During the trial in autumn 2011, Beltracchi admitted forging 14 paintings: three by Heinrich Campendonk; two by André Derain; one by Kees van Dongen; five by Max Ernst; one by Fernand Léger; and two by Max Pechstein.

Top Facts about Wolfgang Beltracchi

1. Beltracchi forged over 300 paintings, worth $45 million.
2. He fooled experts for decades with his skillful reproductions.
3. His forgeries included works by Picasso, Matisse, and Klee.
4. Beltracchi was sentenced to six years in prison in 2011.
5. He later became a legitimate artist after serving his sentence.
6. His art has been exhibited in galleries around the world.
7. Beltracchi’s style is influenced by Expressionism and Surrealism.
8. He often uses bright colors and bold brushstrokes in his work.
9. Beltracchi’s paintings have sold for up to $500,000 each.
10. He remains a controversial figure in the art world today.

Where is Wolfgang Beltracchi now?

Since his release from prison, Wolfgang and Helene Beltracchi have been living and working as artists on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland.

How did Wolfgang beltracchi get caught?

Beltracchi believed he would never get caught. Still, when he put his guard down for just a moment, and used a more contemporary titanium white paint without analyzing it (the tube did not state there was titanium inside), he got busted. The painting that gave him away is the fake Heinrich Campendonk.

What did Wolfgang beltracchi do?

Wolfgang Beltracchi, is considered one of the most audacious forgers of recent decades. In 2011, he was found guilty by a German court of forgery and corruption relating to 14 fakes that had sold for a total of $45m , sending shockwaves through the art world.

How many paintings did Wolfgang beltracchi Forge?

Beltracchi admitted to forging about 300 paintings by more than 50 artists over the course of 35 years.

How common is art forgery?

Experts and institutions may also be reluctant to admit their own fallibility. Art historian Thomas Hoving estimates that various types of forged art comprise up to 40% of the art market , though others find this estimate to be absurdly high.