Voting Station

Han Van Meegeren

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Artist

The Resume

    (October 10, 1889-December 30, 1947)
    Born in Deventer, Netherlands
    Architect, artist and forger
    Specialized in imitating 17th century Dutch masters Franz Hals, Pieter de Hooch and Jan Vermeer
    Sentenced to a year in prison
    Died before serving any time

Why he might be annoying:

    His first marriage broke up over his infidelities.
    Even before he turned to forgery, a critic wrote, 'He has every virtue except originality.'
    He sold one of his 'Vermeers' to Hermann Goering.
    After he was arrested for collaborating with the enemy, he confessed to the lesser crime of forgery.

Why he might not be annoying:

    His father often made him write a hundred times the phrase, 'I know nothing, I am nothing, I am capable of nothing.'
    After being charged with collaboration, he painted one more 'Vermeer' in jail to prove his point.
    In a Dutch popularity poll conducted during his trial, he ranked second only behind the Prime Minister.
    The Dutch people hailed him as a cunning trickster who had fooled the critics and the Nazis.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 24 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 8 Votes: 37.50% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 12 Votes: 58.33% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 21 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 23 Votes: 47.83% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 25 Votes: 64.00% Annoying