A painter acquitted of having manufactured a fake Riopelle

Photo Michaël Nguyen
Michel Vermeulen

Artist-painter

Michael Nguyen

Friday, December 8, 2017 00:10

UPDATE
Friday, December 8, 2017 00:10

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The painter accused of having made a false Riopelle and attempting to sell it on the internet came through with the diversion of the folder.

“It is a reasonable decision that serves the sound administration of justice “, has declared Me Mia Manocchio, yesterday at the palais de justice of Montreal.

Michel Vermeulen is finished with the justice, who was accused of forgery and use of false.

This accusation had raised many questions. Why this artist, who claims in his CV to have exposed everywhere in the world, have painted a canvas, by signing the name of the great painter Jean-Paul Riopelle ?

Riopelle is a québécois painter known worldwide, who was entitled to a national funeral after his death in 2002. Last may, one of his paintings had been sold for $ 7.4 Million, taking the second place of works of art the most expensive in Canada.

eBay

The work had been selling on eBay for the sum of $ 300,000. There has been no buyer, the page of the sale was quickly withdrawn, but this had attracted the attention of the authorities who had accused Vermeulen.

The trial was scheduled to begin in a few months, but all the matter is settled with the diversion of the record, given that Vermeulen was eligible. He was acquitted of the charges leveled against him. “I am very happy “, has launched Vermeulen. His lawyers

Mia Manocchio and Yves Ménard is are also satisfied with the decision of the Crown, all the more that she “was not compelled to do it,” they advised, adding that Vermeulen will not probably not be in front of a judge.

Restitution

In addition to having been acquitted, he can also recover his canvas which had been seized by the authorities.

But before you regain possession, it will have no choice but to remove the signature in the name of Riopelle. It will therefore have to go through the roof of police with his tools, and make the changes until the authorities are satisfied.

“It will be able to recover the painting after the change is made “, ordered the judge Johanne St-Gelais.

All smile to have put an end to his legal problems, Vermeulen noted that these conditions do him posed no problem.