Elemér Albert Hoffmann (1906–1976), better known by his pseudonym Elmyr de Hory, was a complex figure whose life and art existed at the intersection of authenticity and deception. A master forger, de Hory challenged the boundaries of originality and questioned the art world’s obsession with authorship and genius.

Operating in the mid-twentieth century, de Hory forged works “in the style of” artists such as Amedeo Modigliani, Henri Matisse, Raoul Dufy, August Renoir, and Pablo Picasso. Unlike simple counterfeits, his creations reimagined these artists’ techniques and visual languages, often convincing even seasoned collectors and curators. His ability to evoke the essence of a master without directly copying their work was a testament to his technical brilliance and deep understanding of art history.

De Hory’s forgeries infiltrated prestigious collections and institutions, prompting debates about the value of attribution versus intrinsic beauty. His audacious exploits attracted international attention, culminating in his inclusion in Orson Welles’s documentary F for Fake (1975). The film highlighted de Hory’s ability to blur the line between artist and con artist, casting him as a proto-conceptualist whose life was as much a fabrication as his paintings.

Socially, de Hory thrived in European high society, where he mingled with jet-setters and celebrities. Yet behind the charm and allure lay a man deeply haunted by his precarious existence. As his fame grew, so did the scrutiny, culminating in legal troubles and eventual exile. By the 1970s, de Hory began embracing his notoriety, referring to his forged works as “homages” and acknowledging the conceptual undertones of his practice.

Today, de Hory’s legacy is generally seen through a postmodern lens. His work anticipated key debates about originality, artistic authenticity, and the commodification of art. His forgeries, once condemned, are now studied as artifacts of cultural critique—disruptions of the notion of art as the domain of singular genius. De Hory’s story, like his art, remains a provocative blend of fact and fiction. His ability to both deceive and enchant ensures his place as one of the most fascinating figures in modern art history—a forger whose work and life continue to challenge how we define art and truth.

De Hory was born into a Jewish household in Budapest, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, raised in Prague, and spent the years between 1939 and 1945 in a labor camp in Romania. Early in life, he converted to Protestantism, motivated by shame over his heritage. He died by suicide on the Spanish island of Ibiza in 1976, following a period of imprisonment for his identity as a gay man under the Franco regime.