Wolfgang Beltracchi

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In recent years, painter and legendary art forger Wolfgang Beltracchi has embarked on a new artistic journey. Central to his latest work is an extensive series of paintings, titled The Greats, which are being sold as digital artworks through NFT technology. This series was inspired by the Salvator Mundi, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, which fetched $450 million at a 2017 Christie’s auction. Beltracchi meticulously studied the painting, creating several hundred versions in diverse styles, from high renaissance to pop art, even reimagining Jesus as figures like Mick Jagger or Mao Zedong. The result is a captivating exploration of deception and symbolism surrounding the controversial artwork. This large-format, German-language book features photographic insights into Beltracchi's studio life by renowned Swiss photographer Alberto Venzago, alongside documentation of The Greats collection. Contributions include texts from Stanford University professor emeritus Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht, philosophers Peter Sloterdijk and Markus Gabriel, journalist Ulrike Posche, finance executive Leonhard Fischer, NFT expert Hansen Wang, and Venzago. A conversation between Beltracchi and Swiss writer René Scheu enriches this volume, offering diverse perspectives on the phenomenon of this extraordinary artist.