I first encountered Elmyr's
body of work a few years ago when I was fortunate enough to examine
one of Maklari Kalman's. It was a Modigliani...
an Elmyr Modigliani. The examinations came to
a very interesting conclusion. Elmyr didn't try to replicate paints of the period. Instead he focused on the spirit
and the process of making art. "Convictions. The 18th of March, 1927. Check fraud. The 21st of September, 1927. Fraud. Three months prison. The 15th of October, 1927. Six months prison. Theft. The 27th of October, 1928. Berlin. Two months prison for theft. The 28th of December, 1928. Charlottenburg. Concealment.
This is better! February 1929.
Here it is, it begins. Concealment.
Concurrent sentences. The 10th of May, 1929. The same. Attention, a judgment of fraud
and embezzlement. The 21st of August,
1929. London. Infraction with foreign police.
Two months prison. The 23rd of December, 1930. Bale-ville. Forgery.
Repeated offense. Abusive use
of proof of evidence. Three months prison. 1933. Zurich. Fraud. Forgery." And after it stops. It's incredible! Elmyr has
the criminal record of a drug addict. Like an addict, it keeps mounting
and mounting without end. Michel Braudeau, please. Ah, yes. Hello, Michel.
This is Jeff. Yes. Yes, yes.
We are here in Paris. 4:00 pm? Yes. Thank you. See you soon. The story of de Hory,
is a story of someone who endlessly hid. He died in 1976, so you can
still meet people who knew him. I never met him, but I hope
you've met others who did. When Elmyr was young,
he faced two problems, he lived the life of an artist,
and he was homosexual. So, he went to Munich, where he had
more freedom away from his family. That didn't go well for long, so he came to Paris, because
that was where it was all happening. It was the epoch there, in 1926,
when it was all happening. He worked with Fernand Leger
at the Grand Chaumiere. Even Fernand Leger
created fakes. And if he could create
a small drawing by copying somebody else...
there it is! He would play between fellow by making a fake
amongst colleagues. During the era of Courbet,
there were many fakes. Jean-Baptise de CamilleCorot,
had a factory, because he couldn't
keep up with the demand. So, he had people serving as
his agent, making Corots. All the painters from
the beginning of the 20th century, -all of them copied each other.
-Even Van Goghs. There are even
two versions of the Irises. I think Elmyr was someone who benefited greatly from this time, when there were less checks
and balances than today, and through the good graces
of this, he prospered. Also with the aid
of his accomplice, Fernand Legros, who was
more ill-intentioned than Elmyr. He was happy to stay
in his corner without suffering the consequences
of his commercial actions in the market
of all these artists, and which had
monstrous consequence. I think that since
de Hory had no money, he would say, "If Fernand Leger
did it, why not me?" And, if he were
to make a little Picasso, which was easy for him, and he could pay his rent...
why not? Elmyr was absolutely
without right to copy these eminent artists. He was prolific. Elmyr de Hory copied
as a full-time job. But if we think that perhaps
he didn't have the creativity, he would create and learn and become the author
of the copy. "The Real Fake" is a work eminently complex that can only be done
by a true artist. You must have the capacity of a person that can say, "What type of work would
that artist have painted?" To put yourself in the artist's mindset,
then take out an oeuvre that is not necessarily what
the forger is trying to copy, which reproduces the idea of that artist as if
he had painted it himself. That practically never happens. Forgers are often people
who do patchworks. So, with Modigliani, there were
a lot of these types. And play like that
and "boom" there it is. This is typical
as a standard for fakes. The real fake is the oeuvre
of the forger, you regard a subject,
and you say, "Okay, I am going to paint this the way
Modigliani would have painted this." And then you put yourself into
the shoes of the artist completely. It's as if he had
the same talent as Modigliani. There are fake Picasso,
fake Dufy, fake Van Dogen. The man was
extraordinarily prolific. He was the most adept in
all of the masters. Matisse... He had incredible artistic
precision above all else. I'm not sure Elmyr had this capacity
to replicate a Modigliani. Maybe he had it...
But more than once I have been able to recognize
an Elmyr immediately. Because I have seen many,
so I have the knowledge. He continued to have problems
in his personal life because of his homosexuality. This is something he would
live with all his life. He had to leave certain circles because of history...
his history of boys. Ultimately, he came back... in the '40s or '50s,
he came back to Miami. He was very depressed,
he was suicidal. It was at this time that he met another forger who had a good head
for this way of life. Fernand Legros had knowledge. He was gay, like Elmyr. Both of them fakers, but Legros had a cheeky assurance about him
that was unbelievable. It's clear that Legros was the head or the brains
of the operation. He was the type that
has that magic touch. He arrived in America with
a suitcase filled with fakes, but not signed. Because if the customs agent
asked him, "What is this, Mr. Legros?" He would answer, "Oh this,
this is nothing but copies." Oh, he was impossible. Then he would have
the paintings forged. And then, upon his return, he'd have the same agents,
the American customs agents, issue him certificates of authenticity
for all of the paintings. Thus he had increased the value
of the paintings by 100%. And so, Legros, with the help
of these customs agents, made a fortune
with this one suitcase. The brains was clearly Legros. Legros had this assurance, like a Levantine, as you say. He wore a fur coat. He had gold chains,
dark sunglasses, a Rolls Royce, a big beard,
a true character. Finally, the police began to, the police
and certain collectors began to wake up, a little late, and began to realize that
something was not right, something was, in fact, wrong
with what was being sold. Then they went to Mexico, I think, where they continued to sell via
the mails, because they continued to sell. Legros joined up with a young Canadian, Real Lessard, who also made the fakes
and sold, like that. The brains was clearly Legros. It was he who had the ideas,
he who managed the group. It was he who orchestrated
on one side Elmyr de Hory, on the other side, Real Lessard. Legros found Elmyr to be
a little agitated and nervous, so he sent him
to Australia for a while. It's very interesting because in addressing Fernand Legros and Real Lessard, you address a population
that was ever adaptable. They would offer
a Dufy in United States. They would offer
a Matisse in Caracas. Truly adaptable. They were high rollers
in the financial side. I think he was an absolute beast
because he would demand, "Make me a Dufy, or you will be
in trouble! Make it quick!" And then he would sell it
to a poor countess. Legros was probably
a great seducer. He would court
the widows of the artists. Legros, in part
for his own survival, sent Elmyr to live in Ibiza. Ibiza had yet to become known from the film
of Barbert Schroeder. Elmyr first came to Ibiza and established himself there. He resided adjacent to one of my properties
in Villa Platero. Elmyr was a sensible person. A very appreciative person. A person of impeccable taste, but above everything else, theatrical. He always seemed to be on stage. Always impeccably dressed,
generally... but for me... he was truly a great performer. He really knew how to live life. This is a party in Ibiza. That's me. There she is, Bridget la Victoire! The fake princess, Smilja Mihalovich; the comtesse (Jacqueline) de Ribes. The wife of Clifford Irving. Me with the faux princess. And then it became known
that he was an artist. Our position with Elmyr's work
is complicated, reflecting on him
as a complex character that deserves unique treatment. Elmyr is fascinating, especially
from a human interest aspect. He invented his art pieces,
not necessarily copying, but he invented masterpieces
from famous artists, as well as reputable
upcoming artists. I think that is brilliant. When I first started working
at this museum, The Contemporary Art
Museum of Ibiza, one of the leading contemporary
art museums of Spain, we had at that time,
two paintings by Elmyr. A fake Degas and a fake Picasso. I thought, yes, we are going to exhibit
this piece because visitors to the museum
expect to see an Elmyr because he lived in Ibiza,
et cetera. So, we decided to display
the pieces in what we call the "transitory
and confrontational areas," which every museum visitor
travels through as a crossroads between the temporary
and permanent galleries. In doing this, the pieces
are no longer a museum piece, they become philosophical works on which to reflect
over and over. If you will allow me
this comparison, this is similar to an issue
we had with a work by Goya... that we weren't sure
if it was a true Goya. There is a game
in this for us at the museum. Because with an Elmyr,
it is clear because he signed it. So, we know it's a fake Degas. However, with the Goya, there was a chance
it might be a Goya. I believe it to be a Goya, but I couldn't be certain. I am not a specialist. Not in Goya. Not in Elmyr. But I said, "Fine,
let's go investigate." The investigation
involved a conference as to why we thought it
to be a Goya. But the importance
of that is not for now. But by presenting these pieces beside one another, we are able to address
a sensitive subject. What is "fake"? What is "real"? What is "legitimate"? Is this work by Goya
really by Goya? And if not a Goya,
is that what is important? Is the fact it is real or not
what is the most important? The painting is fantastic.
It's fantastic! Isn't it the same with Elmyr? That's why
the idea of the piece being real or fake
is simply an idea. It's extremely interesting from the point of view
of a historian but also for any other person as a means by which
to deeply reflect, "Is it real or is it fake?" We need to unravel
the fantastic stories behind these works,
as this will legitimize... inclusive of the fake aspect. Meaning, they are no longer
simply museum pieces, they become
philosophical pieces, metaphysical pieces, that need to be
reflected upon deeply. This needs to be considered, even if it's not
the most important. He drew so well, that he used his left hand because if he used
his right hand, it would be too perfect. Better than Modigliani! So, for me,
he was a great artist. I have seen, personally,
Elmyr rapidly create with just four strokes
of the brush. But suddenly faced with an order
of extradition from France for the charge of forgery from the French
judicial authorities, and Ibiza being
such a small place, we had no choice but to comply. So, he was detained
for a few days due to quarrels he had
with his associates, Fernand Legros and Real Lessard. "The sequestration of the
paintings of the 38 art works has been assigned to Syndicate
of Artistic Property, 12 Herner St..." It doesn't exist anymore? No, it doesn't exist anymore,
for many years. "And as of this day, are no longer the property
of Mr. Meadows." For his second wife, he started
collecting impressionist works. Impressionist must always
come with certification. And I know what I am talking
about in this matter. Interpol had Legros
in Switzerland. And they deferred
to the art world. All they can do is request
he comes before a judge. And if he decides not to go,
there is nothing they can do. For me,
what is particularly interesting is the absence of cooperation
between certain countries. I am of the sentiment that there was a... voluntary support
for Fernand Legros by the Swiss. Voluntary support
in the sense of to punish or not punish. I am of the sentiment that
the Swiss preferred to side with him. Maybe because
there were many Swiss who had bought
the oeuvres from him, and it would cause
a great scandal. Because it was never proven that he forged a painting. Because if he painted a painting in the manner of
and somebody else signed it, and there was no proof
he did it in Spain, there would be no claim. And I believe in France,
there would be even less. Elmyr is a profound
embarrassment for the art world. During the last three years
of Elmyr's life, he had a contract
with Mr. Isdro Clot, a Spanish Art Dealer, to have him purchase
all of Elmyr's production. Clot bought the works
just as is, not signed. Not signed as Matisse,
nor Modigliani. Not even signed Elmyr! And this man kept Elmyr's last 300 paintings. To me, this is the last
grand mystery of Elmyr's life. He was still being sought
by the police in Spain to be extradited
to justice in France. Elmyr had become Legros's enemy. And Mr. Legros
had Elmyr terrorized. And Elmyr was convinced that if he was sent
to jail in France even for just 24 hours, Legros had enough power
to have him killed. Good day. Tomorrow
I am going to commit suicide. Good day. Tomorrow
I will commit suicide. All of this, coupled with Elmyr's
depressive nature sometimes being very optimistic, sometimes very pessimistic, caused him to take the fatal combination
that killed him. I had him buried in one of our family plots.
