The Art Forger by BA Shapiro

I really loved this book! I have an all new appreciation of painting as an art form. I have always loved music, dance and literature - but I have never been that interested in paintings or sculpture - or architecture for that matter. I was completely enthralled while reading about the painstaking process of painting a work of art. Who knew?! I can sincerely say that from now on, when I visit a museum, I will be taking a much closer look at the paintings in the art gallery. I had no idea that there were so many layers upon layers of paint; the differences between painting wet on wet vs. wet on dry; the time it takes for a painting to actually be "dry"; brush strokes going left to right or vice versa; painters having their signature style, whether they paint in the realism style or the impressionist style. My list could go on and on because it became quite apparent to me that I know next to nothing about painting!!

THEN, we get into art copying vs. art forging - and that whole process. Incredibly fascinating!  This book was really well-written. It kept my interest - and kept me turning pages - despite an almost zero interest in painting before picking up this book. Despite the author describing, in detail, the processes involved in both painting and copying/forging, the details were so interesting - and the storyline so intriguing - that it ended up being a "page-turner".

I wasn't thrilled with the ending. I didn't necessarily hate it, but I was disappointed. Claire was like the pot calling the kettle black. Both Claire and Aiden lied by omission; they both knowingly and willingly committed a crime for the benefit of themselves; neither one was completely honest with the other. Who is Claire to judge Aiden so harshly, especially after she had been so harshly and unfairly judged by others in the preceding years?? I don't need to have nice, tidy, happy endings in books, but I wasn't crazy about this ending.

Art forgers and/or copiers are incredibly talented. Not only can they paint as well as the artist himself paints, they can study and mimic the brush stroke, pressure, colors, shading, layers of paint, style of the original artist. Quite impressive.  I am happy that Claire's skill and artistry was finally acknowledged by the art world - not only as a "copier" but as a legitimate painter in her own right.

I DID wonder why Claire didn't suspect that the painting she was looking for was at Sandra's. The sub-basement was a good idea as a hiding place, but I would have looked for it @ Sandra's first!

Loved it!

Wendy's Rating: *****