In 1998, the English novelist William Boyd created a completely hoax abstract expressionist artist called Nat Tate, then he wrote his biography, Nat Tate: An American Artist 1928-1960, then published it and held a launch party.
A number of months later it was discovered that Tate had never existed. Boyd had forged thebiography, with critical reviews, photographs (including artworks painted by Boyd himself), documents and other items associated with the life story of Tate.
William Boyd describes the whole thing from his point of view in Harpers Bazaar this April Fools Day (HERE)
