Wolfgang Beltracchi, an art forger enters NFT world after ban from galleries

WolfWith the increased adoption of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), many artists are getting popular with their creations. However, Wolfgang Beltracchi, an art forger and notorious artist, has also decided to join the NFT game by bringing an NFT collection named “The Greats.” 

Beltracchi always admits that he has forged tons of paintings and sold them by the name of original famous artists’ artwork, including Heinrich, Max Ernst, Fernand Léger, etc.

An artist not famous for his artworks but for selling forged arts, Beltracchi has announced that he is entering the NFT world. The German artist has launched a new website greats.art titled “a digital journey through the history of art.” The NFT collection includes his re-creations and some part of Leonardo da Vinci’s alleged “Salvator Mundi” artwork.

The web portal says that it is the first-ever art forge digital fine art collection in the form of NFT. In 2011, the German courts found Wolfgang Beltracchi guilty and ordered imprisonment for three years. He and his wife were also ordered to pay millions as compensation.

Why is Wolfgang Beltracchi entering the NFT world?

Wolfgang Beltracchi appeared in a YouTube video explaining his NFT collection. He claimed that famous auction houses, art galleries, and museums banned him from selling his artworks after the arrest. His website says that the traditional art elites wanted to blur his artwork, but NFT comes as a savior.

Wolfgang Beltracchi and his wife have admitted that they have sold 14 forged artworks making roughly $45 million. However, the German artist claims that he has re-created more than 50 artists’ artwork, bringing them more than $100 million.

“Salvator Mundi” is magnificent yet the world’s most expensive artwork ever sold. In 2017 the Prince Mohammed bin Salman from Saudi Arabia bought the art piece for $450 million.

It would be interesting to see how the NFT world treats him. Many experts are saying that there is a huge possibility of the NFT collection making millions of dollars.