David Stein (art forger)
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David Stein (1935 - 1999) was a French-born painter who become an art forger.
Stein never copied a painting, but painted in the style of the master he liked. For example, he studied Marc Chagall to copy his color scheme. He also mastered the styles of Matisse, Braque, Paul Klee, Miro, Jean Cocteau and Rouault. In 1965 Stein made a painting in style of Picasso and sold it for $14,000. He may have made millions of dollars. When you went to David Stein's apartment on Park Avenue you never saw an easel or any paints as he only painted at night.
Stein was also a virtuoso on the piano. He loved his wine, I remember as a child he told me that anything you ate after wine in the morning was considered lunch, as only wine was breakfast.
In 1967 one of his forgeries was noticed hanging in a New York gallery and he was arrested. Art dealers refused to cooperate with the prosecution because it would have incriminated them and questioned their expertise in the art field. Art collectors refused to give up their paintings as evidence as their pieces completed important parts of their collections. Nevertheless, Stein was convicted of six counts of art forgery and grand larceny. During his prison term, Judge Stone, the judge who sentenced him, took him out of jail daily and brought him to his office to paint. Judge Stone remained a good friend of the Stein family long after Stein completed his jail sentence.
After Stein had served his prison term in the United States, he was deported to France where he served another term. Prison authorities allowed him to make further paintings, although now using his own name. In 1969 a London gallery sold some of these paintings.
After Stein was released, he returned to painting, this time selling his paintings under his own name.
The book "Three Picassos Before Breakfast" was written by David's first wife Annemarie about their experiences in the art world. The movie "The Moderns" with Keith carradine and Linda Fiorentino was loosely based on Stein's life and he participated in the film by making and appearance and providing all of the art for the film.
David Stein died in October 1999 from cancer. He had three children with Annemarie, whom he never married, and who lives in Los Angeles, CA. She is currently in talks with producers for a movie based on her life with David. Their daughter Cecilia 42, is an artist and entrepreneur who lives in Malibu, CA. with her husband and children. Their son Frederic 40 is married with one child in Colorado and youngest son Jason 39, is a teacher living with his wife in southern, CA.
When Stein returned to the United States, Annemarie had left him and moved to California. He married and moved to Florida and had a son with his wife.
