‘Max the Forger’ Specialized in Faking Famous Art | Fakes, Frauds & Scammers

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  • Опубліковано 13 лип 2020
  • For 40 years ‘Max the Forger’ specialised in faking the world’s most expensive art and selling it for a fortune. In this episode of Fakes, Frauds & Scammers, he tells us how he made his paintings look like famous antiques.
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  • Розваги

КОМЕНТАРІ • 757

  • @VICE
    @VICE  3 роки тому +51

    In the next episode we interview Vincenzo Pipino, who stole gold, art and jewels worth millions and shared his profits with the poor: ua-cam.com/video/MJH7WkfCyco/v-deo.html

  • @messyshein
    @messyshein 4 роки тому +2047

    We basically need an hour long episode about him!!!

    • @danbrumana3
      @danbrumana3 4 роки тому +14

      There's a movie on Netflix about Wolfgang Beltracchi (The Art of Forgery). He was pretty much doing the same thing on even bigger scales...

    • @chocmilkshake24
      @chocmilkshake24 2 роки тому

      Account name “KRN TV” did one. You can find it on UA-cam

    • @KatJ3st
      @KatJ3st Рік тому

      Check out Shaun Atwood's channel

    • @curtisrobinson7962
      @curtisrobinson7962 Рік тому +1

      This ended way too quick.

  • @LoachClown
    @LoachClown 3 роки тому +339

    Imagine interviewing one of the most interesting people on the planet and giving him 7 minutes of air.

    • @maxbrandrett5858
      @maxbrandrett5858 2 роки тому +5

      max Brandrett thanks for all the messages. Just Going to knock out a master piece before lunch tomorrow. Max

  • @justmadeit2
    @justmadeit2 4 роки тому +2075

    Aside from the forgery side of things, he's a talented artist, self taught I'm guessing?

    • @rjgivens9931
      @rjgivens9931 3 роки тому +7

      Fedora Eagle that doesn’t make any sense. We’re talking about art here. How could there be holes in something that isn’t yet whole?

    • @jayciani
      @jayciani 3 роки тому

      ua-cam.com/video/xgCxyAKlcA4/v-deo.html

    • @nicolash.aguiar3791
      @nicolash.aguiar3791 3 роки тому +22

      Nobody that's good at art wastes time at art school 😂

    • @angelaarmes2824
      @angelaarmes2824 3 роки тому +24

      He should've been a professional art restorer.

    • @justmadeit2
      @justmadeit2 3 роки тому +3

      @@angelaarmes2824 Yes true!
      I do paintings for a hobby, if anyone wants to check them out in the ' Playlist' part of my channel on here. Look for the folder titled 'My Art, Poems and creative stuff'

  • @karencalderon1761
    @karencalderon1761 4 роки тому +815

    He did it for himself
    He liked it
    He was good at it
    He was alive

  • @MitchellRudoll
    @MitchellRudoll 4 роки тому +1539

    If they can’t tell the difference, is he really guilty or is he just gifted?

    • @samanthavanscoder9536
      @samanthavanscoder9536 4 роки тому +75

      both?

    • @WinterReflections
      @WinterReflections 4 роки тому +42

      One could call that grift itself a work of art, social commentary on the "high art" world and the people who perform their "passion" for art by flaunting their wealth.

    • @goose4186
      @goose4186 4 роки тому +28

      Both, gifted enough to copy it from memory. Guilty enough by not imagining the picture from scratch.

    • @noesunyoutuber7680
      @noesunyoutuber7680 4 роки тому +33

      Forgery isn't really a crime because it isn't producing good art, it's a crime because the art market is all about prestige. The fact that a painting is 200 years old or was painted by some legendary artist is what's making it worth millions, far more than the quality of the painting itself. Even if he perfectly recreates the painting, it's being sold under the false pretense that it's the original, that it was painted by some famous artist many years ago. So it's a scam, whether or not it's fair to think of art like that.

    • @conantheseptuagenarian3824
      @conantheseptuagenarian3824 3 роки тому

      where'd you learn ethics? a yeshiva?

  • @chriscreaturo8809
    @chriscreaturo8809 4 роки тому +209

    love how he catches himself “well I guess I went off the rails slightly” ahahaha

  • @Calinay
    @Calinay 4 роки тому +275

    For anyone who finds this guy interesting: Check out Wolfgang Beltracchi. German painter who did something similar for 35 years - painted about 300 paintings in the styles of over 100 different artists, made millions and was eventually caught for using a wrong pigment of white. Very impressive as well. I think he once said that about 200 paintings of his are still out there, in museums and so on.

    • @Mr-Flo
      @Mr-Flo 4 роки тому +7

      Blindi he created new ones in the style of the artist. Best man

    • @davielawrence3773
      @davielawrence3773 4 роки тому +24

      @Blindi he never did replicates. He painted pictures, artists like Van Gogh or Botticelli could have painted (same style, techniques, pigments) and even made up a backstory how those paintings were passed on in his family and staged pictures with his wife. It's a really interesting story 😊

    • @IQzminus2
      @IQzminus2 4 роки тому +14

      Yeah most forgers just make original paintings that fit right in with an artist at a certain point in their career.
      The subject, technique, materials, palette, etc is spot on for the artist X when they were like 37 years old and living in Y.
      And usually they go after something that isn’t going to be high risk. You have more reason to look out for forgeries while buying a typical landscape painting from a artist that is known for making loads and loads of landscapes, and it’s relatively valuable but not something that is particularly sought after from that artist, than say buying something super well known like the Mona Lisa.
      Most forgers go after something that won’t raise too much attention. Just ‘oh it’s another artist X painting of flowers’.
      So they crate something where everything about it just screams out that it was made by that artist, and it matches the fake signature.
      They want to go after things where they get away with it almost every single time. Not just the biggest score from a single painting they possible could pull off but there is a 80% risk of someone discovering it’s fake.

    • @EricSonVlogs
      @EricSonVlogs 3 роки тому

      Dang... imagine some rich guy just has the original paintings of those fakes in his house... or in some abandoned basement... possibilities are endless

    • @Calinay
      @Calinay 3 роки тому

      @@EricSonVlogs no! that was his thing, he didnt replicate anything! everything he painted is original, he just replicated/forged the signatures
      (except you mean the original lost paintings, bc sometimes he painted artworks that were on a list of the original artists painting, but never surfaced, like Campendonk's Red Picture with Horses)

  • @ayanmajumder5535
    @ayanmajumder5535 3 роки тому +169

    Movie : Forger
    Director: Guy Ritchie
    Max: Gary Oldman
    Need:Now

  • @dgnz7628
    @dgnz7628 4 роки тому +102

    What a story telling talent! I could listen to him all day.

  • @louisshakeshaft8001
    @louisshakeshaft8001 4 роки тому +96

    Only 7 minutes for this😭, you could make a whole hour long documentary on this guy if not more

  • @zigzag4273
    @zigzag4273 4 роки тому +161

    3:20 "You know that picture is only a week old, and it's dated 1790."

  • @chickenwings273
    @chickenwings273 4 роки тому +171

    He has lived 8 lifetimes worth of experience

  • @xivallora8834
    @xivallora8834 4 роки тому +93

    He's quite the character! Would like to know more about the story... Cheers

  • @maximyles
    @maximyles 4 роки тому +46

    Irony is, I bet you in 90 years time people will pay good money for the paintings of Max The Forger. Make this man into a legend and it’ll certainly become true.

  • @misbahchowdhury7887
    @misbahchowdhury7887 4 роки тому +397

    Need Guy Ritchie to make a movie about this guy.

    • @nanofan100
      @nanofan100 4 роки тому +4

      Exactly my thoughts hahaha

    • @whywelovefilm7079
      @whywelovefilm7079 4 роки тому +1

      He’s a thief and liar. Stop glamorizing his lifestyle...

    • @LordDirus007
      @LordDirus007 4 роки тому +5

      Yeah that Cockney accent is thick asf

    • @rektorpwr2006
      @rektorpwr2006 4 роки тому

      Matthew McConaughey should play him :D

    • @spindext
      @spindext 4 роки тому

      I'd like to see a Guy Ritchie film without guns. I think that would be a lot more fun to watch.

  • @gizmogoose.2486
    @gizmogoose.2486 4 роки тому +201

    A real masterpiece, or an identical copy done in 1969....it's still an amazing painting.
    There must be rational people somewhere in the world who collect *"perfect* fakes" !!!

    • @RudraDirtTrails
      @RudraDirtTrails 4 роки тому +3

      Welcome to the lovers of perfect fakes club

    • @Bighomiehobbs
      @Bighomiehobbs 4 роки тому

      Yeap

    • @michaeljaquez4737
      @michaeljaquez4737 4 роки тому +10

      There is but you have to call them replicas by law

    • @devonjames9883
      @devonjames9883 4 роки тому +5

      have you seen Exit Through the Gift Shop? people like the idea of a desirable painting, not paintings that are well done.

    • @MrTheevilmage
      @MrTheevilmage 3 роки тому +1

      I'd have him paint me a fake...

  • @hunterstreet6263
    @hunterstreet6263 4 роки тому +67

    Is it just me or does it feel like almost every old guy from the 40s -50s talks about how they worked in the circus before

    • @khalilholmes3814
      @khalilholmes3814 4 роки тому +1

      🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

    • @Samrod
      @Samrod 4 роки тому +4

      Yeah and they keep talking about a frog kid. You ever seen a frog kid before?

    • @maxbrandrett5858
      @maxbrandrett5858 3 роки тому +1

      I can tell you sir I indeed worked the circus!

    • @swamp-yankee
      @swamp-yankee 3 роки тому

      Round my area they all milked cows.

  • @KC_G4S
    @KC_G4S 4 роки тому +66

    Vice returning to its roots!! Hell yeah, this video was sick

  • @crappymeal
    @crappymeal 4 роки тому +163

    He must know loads about the technical aspects of painting, surely the experts talk to this bloke

  • @Suigotae
    @Suigotae 4 роки тому +68

    We needed this interview 3 months ago when lockdown started. We had plenty of free time for new “hobbies” 😅

  • @rainbowflavoredcat
    @rainbowflavoredcat 4 роки тому +31

    How is him doing the paintings that well any less impressive than the original?! If anything I think it's moreso..he can do so many artists styles. True talent

    • @noor-rx1ij
      @noor-rx1ij 2 роки тому +2

      It's not less impressive. The "problem" is that art collectors want art done by specific artists because of pure hype. It's not about the quality of the work, sadly.

  • @stackered
    @stackered 3 роки тому +18

    If I were rich, I would commission him to make exact replicas of a whole gallery of the greatest works of art in history, with his signature on them. Just for shits and giggles

  • @hillsbrampton3730
    @hillsbrampton3730 4 роки тому +43

    Now that's a cheeky laugh at the end mate!

  • @SabinaEngland
    @SabinaEngland 4 роки тому +46

    Ok... that's actually pretty badass lol

  • @Inazarab
    @Inazarab 4 роки тому +78

    I would have loved a whole hour-long piece about him.

    • @cetanacetana8265
      @cetanacetana8265 9 місяців тому

      agree.. would have also enjoyed to hear more about him working in the circus as a kid

  • @foxtailedcritter
    @foxtailedcritter 4 роки тому +8

    Absolute brillant, kind conman. Only scammed the rich and was non violence plus he had talent at art. Good on him.

  • @LordOfAllVikings
    @LordOfAllVikings 3 роки тому +4

    I love his voice. I could listen to him tell stories for hours

  • @Casey5693
    @Casey5693 4 роки тому +10

    Can we get a full-length documentary series of Max telling us his life story?

  • @masarothgames
    @masarothgames 4 роки тому +9

    Minus the fact that he was painting forgeries he is truly a brilliant painter.

  • @TLSjacob
    @TLSjacob 4 роки тому +9

    We need a longer episode on this guys life

  • @kitakeaman
    @kitakeaman 4 роки тому +54

    We need a documentary on this lad.

  • @juancarloscuaocastellanos8813
    @juancarloscuaocastellanos8813 2 роки тому +1

    4:04
    He met the Kray brothers and impress them with his talent.
    You're a national treasure, sir.

  • @daphne10120
    @daphne10120 3 роки тому +2

    This man is incredible! I could listen to him tell his story all day! Honestly I’d pay a lot of money to have him paint me something. Just incredible

  • @RyanPowerhouse
    @RyanPowerhouse 4 роки тому +6

    This guy deserves a Netflix special

  • @konzeptwerks6710
    @konzeptwerks6710 4 роки тому +10

    Aside from the "adventures", above all, he's a Superb Painter, a Great Artist!

  • @lisdon324
    @lisdon324 10 місяців тому

    he literally came into where i work yesterday and now i’ve learnt so much about him 😂 he seems genuinely like a lovely guy

  • @lordcezar5072
    @lordcezar5072 4 роки тому +2

    A true creative from heart , much respect

  • @TheJames1842
    @TheJames1842 4 роки тому +1

    Interesting Video ! Thanks for shining light upon people most of us would of never heard of.

  • @DMWBN3
    @DMWBN3 4 роки тому +10

    Lived in Brighton all my life and my pals an artist and sure I've met this fella, think I've even got a painting of Saddlers Wells of his on my wall.

  • @zydian_
    @zydian_ 4 роки тому +4

    If I had to picture myself a master forger my mind wouln't be able to come up with a better character then the one in this video. Just perfect

  • @warbledurbler7905
    @warbledurbler7905 4 роки тому +6

    If this guy can recreate masterpieces and create original masterpieces, isn't he more talented than the original master?

  • @victorwelkin9136
    @victorwelkin9136 4 роки тому +1

    Beautiful work!

  • @lizziesangi1602
    @lizziesangi1602 4 роки тому +5

    This man is magnificent ! I LOVE him. I want one of his works He's as talented as ANY esteemed painter - his paintings as valuable as any museum piece.

  • @lususlove
    @lususlove 4 роки тому +5

    These are the types of videos that need to be longer.

  • @Maddoxxx
    @Maddoxxx 4 роки тому +1

    I myself an antique dealer but there's nothing more sophisticated from fake paintings especially the one that's been done by master forger.

  • @alpineflauge909
    @alpineflauge909 4 роки тому +1

    classic. thank you. the story with the krays was fvcking epic!

  • @SERGIO-cr6uy
    @SERGIO-cr6uy 2 роки тому +1

    This guy needs a movie of his life. He's unfreakinbelievable!

  • @summerlaverdure
    @summerlaverdure 4 роки тому +1

    this dude is the BEST omg please more

  • @bravemise
    @bravemise 4 роки тому +1

    I got a lot of respect for this guy. Genius hustle he had going

  • @jackmiller1209
    @jackmiller1209 4 роки тому +1

    This man is so awesome! Great video!

  • @georgefoord7240
    @georgefoord7240 4 роки тому +3

    Please a hour long episode!

  • @tristenbest
    @tristenbest 4 роки тому +2

    Make a full doc about him. Extremely interesting

  • @stoffydarko
    @stoffydarko Місяць тому

    wow. i could listen to him talk forever and he is so talented.

  • @lucywright7877
    @lucywright7877 4 роки тому +1

    Unexpectedly brilliant

  • @jeansandjumper
    @jeansandjumper 4 роки тому +1

    Would have liked an hour episode on this guy

  • @katlynklassen809
    @katlynklassen809 4 роки тому +1

    The world needs more like this.

  • @constantine5
    @constantine5 4 роки тому +1

    🤣🤣 6:35 Those last 15 seconds. Just so awkward made me laugh.

  • @user-pt1cz4ot1e
    @user-pt1cz4ot1e 3 роки тому +3

    I’d love to buy an original from him. What a brilliant talent.

    • @johnjohnson3709
      @johnjohnson3709 10 місяців тому

      You know he’s got to be a great painter and to have an original piece that’s not a forgery.

  • @TwoGlockAMG
    @TwoGlockAMG 4 роки тому +30

    He’s like a older version of Austin Powers🕺🏽☮️

  • @mslondonlove1435
    @mslondonlove1435 3 роки тому

    Vice these are the videos I love 😁

  • @Renegade30
    @Renegade30 4 роки тому +1

    I want to see a whole doco on this guy, he's brilliant

  • @aphysique
    @aphysique 3 роки тому +1

    Bad ass artist, no matter what! True artist

  • @bigsmoke5219
    @bigsmoke5219 4 роки тому

    This is why I love Vice. Thank you

  • @leebumble
    @leebumble 4 роки тому +2

    Very charismatic guy, it's not the first documentary of him out there.

  • @nathanminchin507
    @nathanminchin507 Рік тому

    This story, a man warms my heart 💙🇬🇧

  • @ozzyseda
    @ozzyseda 3 роки тому

    Love these Old School Storys !!!!!!!

  • @dannyager2994
    @dannyager2994 4 роки тому +3

    AWESOME CLIP MAX,
    Can't Belive you were kipping with the camels, at the circus love it!!!
    I have to say this man aside from the
    Dodgy buissness, he is "Art" to his bones, I have been painting for over 35 years and remember we used to paint in the lanes back in the nineties, he was always generous with his talent, knowledge and gift showing me as a young artist how I could improve,
    Just a couple of tricks here and there changed my game for life..... A true master painter,
    Just great he is being recognised finally for the huge Mass of work he has painted by whoever signed, it don't matter he done it for 45 years
    Long live Max Brandrett
    🙏🙏🙏

  • @mexicopor6818
    @mexicopor6818 2 роки тому

    He's got awesome stories.
    Great video.
    Greetings from Mexico

  • @ronansmith16
    @ronansmith16 3 роки тому

    This would be an amazing film. What an awesome story!!

  • @klaus7312
    @klaus7312 3 роки тому

    Man i could listen to this guy all day long.

  • @rahmatseptian3902
    @rahmatseptian3902 4 роки тому +1

    I really love to hear more from this guy

  • @thestrays815
    @thestrays815 4 роки тому +2

    Great content Vice

  • @mzf11125
    @mzf11125 4 роки тому +1

    This bloke is a legend

  • @Brokendreamz.
    @Brokendreamz. 4 роки тому +1

    Super interesting!!

  • @pdngang533
    @pdngang533 2 роки тому

    Im truly interested to learn more about that guy! Wow

  • @paintriarchdave7977
    @paintriarchdave7977 3 роки тому +2

    I've had the FBI at my apartment and it's honestly the greatest compliment I've ever had as a private artist.

  • @spartanbegginner909
    @spartanbegginner909 4 роки тому

    Solid vice video, very interesting guy, more of this

  • @mynnmusic
    @mynnmusic 4 роки тому +2

    omg i want to know more :<
    Such a cool guy, and story...

  • @soager-tz1qg
    @soager-tz1qg 4 роки тому +1

    He's such a good storyteller!

  • @martinabrandrett6062
    @martinabrandrett6062 3 роки тому

    Amazing interview Dad.... book in september xxx

  • @jordanhilton1815
    @jordanhilton1815 2 роки тому

    Amazing story amazing 👏❤

  • @gorillachilla
    @gorillachilla 4 роки тому +1

    This guy is a living legend , we need to see a movie, that would be epic

  • @thomaswright4074
    @thomaswright4074 Рік тому

    Definitely needs a film about this bloke, legend 😂👍🏼

  • @gnarshread
    @gnarshread 3 роки тому

    This is one of the best things Vice has done in a while.

  • @siobhanvidaashmole9009
    @siobhanvidaashmole9009 3 роки тому

    He has so much charisma!

  • @kevingunngunn90
    @kevingunngunn90 4 роки тому +1

    Wow,that man can paint very good.

  • @keith1689
    @keith1689 3 роки тому

    Such stories...his grandkids are probably in awe whenever they visit him

  • @jessicaeverly47
    @jessicaeverly47 4 роки тому +1

    What an absolute legend!!!!!!

  • @gus3leches869
    @gus3leches869 3 роки тому +1

    Man his paintings are amazing.

  • @cameronempey8350
    @cameronempey8350 4 роки тому +2

    Amazing so amazing I love this stuff ha

  • @NZBallBag
    @NZBallBag 2 роки тому

    Paint my friend.. paint paint paint... amazing work

  • @danieldrkness7489
    @danieldrkness7489 4 роки тому +6

    You blew it `VICE! you should of capitalised on this one!

  • @pippabdkso
    @pippabdkso 4 роки тому +1

    He's a legend. He's incredibly talented.

  • @steffan5982
    @steffan5982 3 роки тому

    this music is so chill at 4:33 why is there never a link in the description...

  • @ogmoustachemalefacialcompa3907
    @ogmoustachemalefacialcompa3907 4 роки тому +1

    Great. Love a good cat among the pigeons story.

  • @charlieangel9705
    @charlieangel9705 3 роки тому

    I also like how pleasant his personality is.

  • @amandahirschfeld7382
    @amandahirschfeld7382 3 роки тому

    Amazing,what a talent.

  • @te9591
    @te9591 4 роки тому +1

    This guy is a character.

  • @F4R207
    @F4R207 4 роки тому +1

    What a talent and what a life.