Jacob Baart de la Faille

Jacob Baart de la Faille was a Dutch art historian and jurist best known for compiling the first catalogue raisonné of the work of Vincent van Gogh, published in 1928. The catalogue was revised and republished by an editorial committee in 1970, and this version is considered to be the definitive catalogue of van Gogh's work.
His catalogue numbers are preceded by an "'F": thus The Starry Night is designated F612.
Shortly after the publication of the original catalogue, de la Faille became involved in a major fraud affair concerning the Berlin art dealer Otto Wacker. De la Faille had certified the authenticity of 30 paintings which were later determined to be fakes.

Biography

Jacob-Baart de la Faille was born in Leeuwarden to a Dutch father, Cornelis Baart de la Faille, and a Belgian mother, Henriette Adriana Krayenhoff.
At the University of Utrecht he majored in law, not in art. He died in Heemstede.

Writings

J.-B. de La Faille: L'Epoque française de Van Gogh, MM. Bernheim-Jeune, éditeurs d'art, Paris
J.-B. de la Faille: L'Œuvre de Vincent van Gogh, catalogue raisonné, ouvrage accompagné de la reproduction de plus de 1.600 tableaux, dessins, aquarelles et gravures du Maître. 6 vols. Les Éditions G. van Oest, Paris & Bruxelles, 1928
J.-B. de la Faille: Les faux Van Gogh, avec 176 reproductions. Les Éditions G. van Oest, Paris & Bruxelles, 1930