You’ve gotta love a good scam.

Anyone who knows me knows that I’ve been fascinated by scams and cons as long as I can remember. There’s something so fun about understanding how con artists and scammers exploit the rules of society. And I’ve always had a particular fascination for art forgery and counterfeits. No matter if it’s wine forgery, imitation truffles, or the adventures of Frank Abagnale, Jr. – if there’s a hoax involved, I’m in. So you can imagine that, when I got the opportunity to read Con/Artist by Tony Tetro ahead of release day, I could not have been more excited. (My thanks to Hachette Books for the gift copy!)

Tony Tetro is a well-known art forger, who most recently gained notoriety when his pastiches of Picasso, Dalí, Monet, and Chagall ended up in Dumfries House. (Apparently Prince Charles was fooled by James Stunt, a supposed gold tycoon who loaned them to get royal attention.) Tetro was famous even before this latest scandal, however. He was arrested in 1989 and charged with 44 counts of felony forgery and one count of conspiracy. (Shortly after this, the LAPD allowed Don Hrycyk to pursue art crime full-time…) So it’s pretty exciting to see his career broken down and his motivations explored, in his own words.

Forgery, from the inside out

In Con/Artist, Tetro shares his life story – the origins of his forgery and a telling of his greatest hits. The book starts from the very beginning, with his upbringing in Fulton, and ends at the modern day. In between, Tetro recounts various misdeeds, including art crimes and personal missteps, and insists that he’s not a drug dealer.

The story is an interesting one, especially the middle bits, where Tetro teaches himself to forge. Throughout the book, Tetro comes off as someone who loves art, and who values his hard-won expertise. His visits to Italy and his moments of learning there demonstrate his passion for the craft of creating artwork. It’s fascinating to read about how he thinks about paint and painting, and the level of detail he uses to craft a good provenance. The book portrays Tetro as a master of the craft of forgery – if a bit reckless when it comes to distribution channels.

A true tale, told by a liar

It’s also fun to see what Tetro alleges about the art world in the 70s and 80s. According to Tetro and his coauthor, Giampero Ambrosi, a ton of galleries at that time knowingly sold forgeries at vast markups. It’s an interesting angle to take, and one that directly contradicts accounts like Ken Perenyi’s, which emphasize both the art and the scamming.

Of course, Tetro’s not the most reliable of narrators. He has every reason to allege that his clients were in the know. For one thing, the James Stunt scandal continues to cause drama. It’s in Tetro’s best interest to stays clear of any blowback; he’s even publicly claimed the forgeries to avoid trouble. For another, it allows him to place most of the blame on the dealers, who resold his forgeries as the real deal.

But honestly, you shouldn’t read this book to get the most accurate account of Tetro’s life. It’s written by Tetro himself, and spans his 72-year lifespan, so it’s impossible to get everything right. Instead, read it for his perspective, his mindset. Tetro’s inclusions – his moments of pride and regret, his love for his daughter, his personal ethics – are fascinating, as are his exclusions. His most notable connections (at least in the book) are built through his work. His proudest moments involve keeping secrets, instead of “snitching” on his clients. The overall portrait is of a man obsessed with his work, rooted in his neighborhood, but lacking lifelong companions.

Reader’s notes and rating (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

I really enjoyed this book, and it was a pretty fast read. It read a little bit like an interview transcript or a long podcast episode, and it was fascinating to see how Tetro told his own story. I’d happily recommend it to other crime nerds – particularly those with an interest in forgery. That said, it’s not a general-purpose read, making this a four-star review overall.

Con/Artist is out today, wherever books are sold.. (For a full list of my favorite art crime picks, check out this list I made.)