The forger's spell : a true story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the greatest art hoax of the twentieth century / Edward Dolnick.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [295]-330) and index.

OCCUPIED HOLLAND. A knock on the door -- Looted art -- The outbreak of war -- Quasimodo -- The end of forgery? -- Forgery 101 -- The war against the Jews -- The forger's challenge -- Bargaining with vultures -- Van Meegeren's tears -- HERMANN GOERING AND JOHANNES VERMEER. Adolf Hitler -- Chasing Vermeer -- Goering's art collection -- Insights from a forger -- The amiable psychopath -- Goering's prize -- Vermeer, superstar -- A ghost's fingerprints -- THE SELLING OF CHRIST AT EMMAUS. Two forged Vermeers -- The expert's eye -- A forger's lesson -- Bredius -- "Without any doubt!" -- The uncanny valley -- Betting the farm -- Lady and Gentleman at the Harpsichord -- Dick Hannema -- The choice -- The Caravaggio connection -- In the forger's studio -- Underground tremors -- The summer of 1937 -- The lamb at the bank -- "Every inch a Vermeer" -- Two weeks and counting -- Too late! -- The last hurdle -- The unveiling -- ANATOMY OF A HOAX. Scandal in the archives -- All in the timing -- Believing is seeing -- The men who knew too much -- Blue Monday -- He who hesitates -- The great changeover -- THE CHASE. The secret in the salt mine -- The dentist's tale -- Goering on the run -- The nest egg -- Trapped! -- "I painted it myself!" -- Command performance -- The evidence piles up -- The trial -- The players make their exits.