World's Greatest Art Forger Claims He's Painted More Lowrys Than Lowry Himself

David Henty, who claims to be the world's greatest art forger, begins his workday at 5 a.m. with meditation and breathing exercises to supposedly open his "third eye." He then enters a "flow state" to "download the great masters" before picking up his brush.

Henty's repertoire includes numerous works in the style of artists such as L.S. Lowry, Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, Vincent van Gogh, and particularly Caravaggio, whom he admires for his use of light and dark.

He asserts that his success stems from an ability to immerse himself in the mindset of the artists he copies. Henty's forgeries have been frequently mistaken for authentic works by collectors, auction houses, gallerists, and forensic experts.

A new exhibition of Henty's work in Brighton features pieces inspired by Masters like Modigliani, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Picasso, and Damien Hirst, with original values estimated in the billions. Many of these pieces have already been sold, with prices for his copies ranging from £9,000 for a Vermeer-inspired work to £25,000 for a Picasso.

Henty's life has also inspired a new thriller by Rob Starr and a biopic slated for TV in China. His clients reportedly include footballers, hedge fund managers, billionaires, and even a former Tory donor.

Some clients commission his works due to the prohibitive cost of original masterpieces, while others wish to keep their originals secure while displaying convincing copies. Henty's copies have occasionally surfaced at auction for substantial sums, sometimes leading to complications. In one instance, a Picasso sketch he had gifted to a friend appeared at auction for £1 million, prompting Henty to reveal its true origin to prevent a potentially fraudulent sale.

More recently, Henty identified four large canvases he created "in the style of" Jean-Michel Basquiat as his own work after they appeared on the market for nearly £40 million. He stated he painted them in a couple of days on canvases bought at a car boot sale for £60 and had initially sold them for £5,000.

Henty distinguishes his current practice by selling his works as "in the style of" or "after" the original artist, ensuring his buyers are aware of their nature to avoid legal repercussions. He previously served five years in prison in the mid-1990s for forging thousands of fake British passports, which were misspelled. He was later incarcerated in Madrid for selling stolen cars.

His early life was marked by a lack of parental supervision and a propensity for petty theft, which he continued into his career in antiques. Henty honed his skills in art classes while in prison and by studying art history extensively.

He employs various techniques to age his paintings, including using furniture polish and strategically placing them near a log burner to create cracks. He also recalls a former associate who would hang paintings in a smoke-filled room to achieve an 18th-century patina.

Despite a 2014 investigation that led to him being banned from eBay, Henty found that the exposure attracted a new, wealthier clientele. He maintains that he feels no guilt about his work, viewing it as "just a bit of fun."