Looking for a $50 Mona Lisa?

Ever wanted a Van Gogh painting for your boudoir or a Picasso for your playroom? Unless you're related to a billionaire, you might want to take a trip to Den Fen Village in China. It's home to more than 5,000 talented artists who will happily "recreate" your favorite work of art. Just think--for around $50 US, you can be the proud owner of the Mona Lisa! (Visit the town's website here.)

The artists in Den Fen Village sell reproductions--not forgeries. But as you know from The Empress's Tomb, there are plenty of people out there with a lot of talent and few scruples. Case in point: The Greenhalgh family. Olive (82), George (83), and their son Shaun (47) seemed like any other English family until the police raided their modest home in 2006. Turns out the Greenhalghs had been operating one of the most profitable art forgery operations in recent history. Over the years, they had sold sculptures and paintings to museums around the world. Some of their work had fetched prices of almost one million dollars! Read about their operation--and their arrest here.

(Below: The Greenlaugh's and one of their forgeries.)




Believe it or not, there's still hope for the Greenhalghs. John Myatt made a fortune in the 80s and 90s selling forged works of art to hapless collectors and museums. (Many of Myatt's paintings have never been identified as fakes!) In 1995, he went to jail for his crimes. Now he's a free man, and he's making an honest living selling his own paintings. In fact, he's making a very good living. His paintings, done in the style of famous artists, are in great demand. In fact, there are now people forging Myatt's work! Watch a video here.