As a young man in New York in the 60s, Ken Perenyi developed an astonishing talent for forgery, producing paintings that passed as originals by many 19th Century American painters, such as James E. Buttersworth, Martin Johnson Heade, Charles Byrd King, John Frederick Peto, William Aiken Walker, and others. He also mastered many 18th and 19th century British equestrian and marine painters including John F. Herring, James Seymour, Charles Brooking, and Thomas Widcomb. He became one of the most successful art forgers in history, selling his work in major auction houses in New York and London. Ken's career as a Master Art Forger is recounted in his best-selling memoir, Caveat Emptor: The Secret Life of an American Art Forger (Pegasis Books, 2012).

 

His days of fooling the experts long behind him, Ken now produces works every bit as convincing as his infamous forgeries, but without the subterfuge and for a fraction of the cost. As he told an associate, "I create paintings the masters could have painted but didn't."    

 

Ken's works are authentic in every way. Ken is happy to provide detailed images of the front and back on request. Sizes quoted represent the paintings only, and don't include the frame size.  To view the current collection of works available for purchase, click here. If you'd like to speak with Ken directly about his work, click here.