Dutch painter and portraitist, considered to be one of the most ingenious art forgers of the 20th century.
After the war Han van Meegren became a folk hero as “the man who swindled Goering” by selling in 1943 Herman Göring a false Vermeer named “Christus en de overspelige vrouw” (Jesus and the woman taken in adultery) for 1,650,000 Dutch guilders.
Motto/parole of this entry: Dutch master poet Joost van den Vondel quoting All the world’s a stage of Shakespeare (1599, 1623): “De wereld is een schouwtoneel, elk speelt zijn rol en krijgt zijn deel” (1668).
Participants of this drama:
Father: Henricus Johannes van Meegeren (20 January 1851 9 PM, Zwolle – 10 September 1932 1 PM, Amersfoort), French and history teacher at the “kweekschool” (breeding school of teachers) in Zwolle.
He was the son of the tailor Johannes Willem Frederik van Meegeren (3 September 1823, Zwolle – 26 April 1863, Zwolle) and Johanna Maria Kremer (25 December 1819, Zwolle – 1 March 1903, Deventer), who married 16 May 1849 in Zwolle.
Mother: Augusta Louise Henriette Camps (2 February 1859, Den Bosch – 21 July 1927, Amersfoort). Married 10 September 1932 in Amersfoort, Henricus Johannes van Meegeren
Children:
1) Johanna Willemina Fredrika van Meegeren (31 July 1885 4 PM, Deventer), a teacher, married Adolphus Jacobus Maria Bruggemeijer on 7 October 1919 in Deventer.
2) Hermanus van Meegeren (2 October 1888 2 AM , Deventer – 12 November 1911, Deventer)
3) Henricus Antonius “Han” van Meegeren (10 October 1889, Deventer – 30 December 1947, Amsterdam)
4) Augusta Johanna Maria Jurriana van Meegeren (11 February 1 AM 1899, Deventer – 1986) married 5 October 1927 Willem “Pim” Polman Tuin (16 November 1892, Amsterdam – 1929) in Utrecht. Augusta was Han’s favourite sister.
First spouse: On 18 April 1912, he married in Rijswijk Anna de Voogt (7 November 1890, Deli – 4 December 1978, Medan). She was divorced from Carel Hendrik de Boer (18 February 1879, Jakarta – 26 May 1949, Den Haag) and had two children: Freerijk Carel de Boer (2 June 1907, Den Haag) and Viola Hermine Lambertine de Boer (23 August 1910, Den Haag). Han and Anna divorced 3 May 1923.
They got two children:
1) The painter Jacques Henri Emil van Meegeren (26 August 1912, Rijswijk – 26 October 1977, Amsterdam), who became a forger of the work of his father. As he was less gifted, his forgeries damaged the reputation of his father. Jacques married on 22 September 1938 in Paris with Lucienne Combey (Annecy). The had two daughters: Michèle (19390 and Chantal (1942).
2) Pauline Hermine van Meegeren (24 March 1915, Den Haag – April 1985, Surrey), who became a language teacher. She married Gordon C.T. Randall and got a daughter Barbara.
Second spouse: On 22 November 1928, he married in Woerden Johanna Theresia Oerlemans (5 February 1886 15h30, Den Haag – 2 October 1977, Zwijndrecht). She had a daughter Viola. Han and Johanna divorced for financial reasons on 8 December 1943.
The famous Sun in Scorpio painter Jan Vermeer was born in Delft. He was baptised 31 October 1632 date of birth unknown. He died 15 Dec. 1675 aged 43.

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