In 1969, Mark Forgy was a young, backpacking Minnesotan in Europe when he met a debonair Hungarian who happenend to be one of the world's most notorious art forgers. Elmyr de Hory was a master faker of Picasso, Renoir, Matisse, and especially Modigliani.

Before he was caught, de Hory let loose his bogus oils and drawings on the post-WWII art market.

The forger and the starry-eyed kid partied in Ibiza for seven years, until de Hory, facing extradition to France for his crimes, commited suicide in 1976.

Forty years later, Forgy is writing a memoir of his experience and the Hillstrom Museum of Art at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota has opened an exhibit of about 70 pieces (forgeries) by De Hory, plus a real Matisse and Modigliani. The show is on view through April 18.