Monday, 8 March 2010
The Lost Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti
Sometimes you buy a book that turns into a real gem. Well, this happy feeling happened to me when I bought the ' Lost Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti. This is a really wonderful book. The author takes you through the extraordinary true story of the greatest art theft in history. The account of this tale reads better than a fictional one. There were weird and strange happenings when the Mona Lisa disappeared from the Louvre, for instance, when the museum finally opened its doors without their star attraction, hundreds of grieving Parisians queued up to view the blank space where the Mona Lisa had been smiling the week before. They didn't queue up to see the other 3 thousand paintings but just to stare at a blank dusty space ! As incomprehensible as this may sound, this is exactly what happened. The queues stretched several blocks where there had never been a wait to enter the Louvre before. Some say, this was the beginning of Modern Art. I also loved the way the author wrote nuggets of historical information in the most entertaining and amusing way. It sets the atmosphere in Paris in such a manner that you can imagine yourself being transported exactly in that era of the afternoon of Sunday, 20 of August 1911 when the painting vanished from the walls of the Louvre. It describes, with a wealth of interesting information what was happening in the inner sactum of the Louvre and who were the people who run it and where they were at the time. The failings that took place. It really is so good, I could not recommend it enough. It is thoroughly well researched from many sources, including newspaper stories of the time. Well, that is my humble opinion.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
.jpg)
.jpg)
12 comments:
It does indeed sound an interesting book, Maria. Fancy staring at a blank wall! But then, the French were always a bit wacky. During the siege of Paris in 1870, when Prussian troops surrounded the city, people seriously suggested that messages could be tied to SNAILS which would supposedly make their way through the Prussian lines and thus enable the city to communicate with the outside world.
They should have put something at least on the wall, if only a notice reading "Gone to lunch. Signed, Mona Lisa."
That is so very funny! I never knew about the messages with snails THAT is weird! Oh but wait, it took 24 hours for anyone to notice the Mona Lisa had vanished and someone made a comedy film where the only clue is a shoe button. To follow the lead, the detective disguises himself as a shoeshine boy and forces everyone to submit to a polish. Between the chaos at the Louvre and the frenzied polishing, no one notices when the thief returns with the Mona Lisa then he snuks away with a Velazquez! Everyone there is short-sighted including the thief who very thoughtfully leaves a note saying: "Sorry, blame my poor eyesight. I wanted the picture next to her."
Ha, ha! Or maybe the thief brings back the Mona Lisa and says, "I was told to steal La Gioconda, but I see now that it's only the Mona Lisa, so I've brought it back. Can anyone tell me where La Gioconda is?"
The French say: La Joconda whilst the Italians say: La Gioconda. In real life, thief actually contacted a Parisian newspaper to say he had pinched three small statues from the Louvre and was returning them through the newspaper in exchange for a reward. Also, this thief urged the possesor of the Gioconda to bring back the Mona Lisa by presenting himself to the newspaper, advising that they were discreet. Can you imagine that? No one was losing an episode of this daily weird saga!
Talking about staring empty places..I think someone won a Turner prize with an enormous empty room. There is crazy for you! welcome to Modern Art.
Sounds like a great book! It amazes me how people will flock to anything scandalous! Even when it is nothing but an empty wall. I like Robert's "Gone to Lunch" suggestion. Thank you so much for visiting my blog and commenting on my painting.
Hi Nitzy, Robert is very witty his sense of humour is really wonderful and he always makes me laugh! I really think he should be a screen writer because he can make anything sound funny.
Robert, I think the British were using racing pigeons and that is more effecient than a snail.
Thanks Maria and Neetzy. I sometimes wonder whether after the Mona Lisa, artists had trouble with all their models insisting on looking enigmatic.
"Look, for the last time, I do NOT want you to look enigmatic!"
"But I've got to look enigmatic - I mean, look at the Mona Lisa..."
Picasso once wrote:
The only thing that's important is the legend created by the picture, and not whether it continues to exist itself'
Incidentally Picasso was arrested in connection to the Mona Lisa theft. It did not look good that he had signed a manifesto declaring to burn down the Louvre.
There was a Van Gogh self-portrait stolen once. The kidnappers cut off one of the ears and sent it to the police....
Well, I'm glad the Louvre wasn't burnt down. On the other hand, some of the works of a modern artist were destroyed in a warehouse fire a few years ago. Was it Tracey Emin? The artist seemed genuinely surprised and saddened when people made jokes about it.
Yes Robert it was the "work" of Tracy Amin. It had a fitting end. It just goes to show that beauty is forever whilst rubbish doesn't last long.
I recently bought a book about art by Gombrich, and there is a photograph of the painting "The Christening Feast" (called "Celebrating The Birth" on this link - click on picture for larger view).
http://wallacelive.wallacecollection.org:8080/eMuseumPlus?service=ExternalInterface&module=collection&objectId=65045&viewType=detailView
It is a good painting, but oh dear, that baby! It looks as stiff as a wooden doll. Surely babies' heads are supposed to be supported? That baby looks all wrong.
Hello Robert,
I'm afraid that is the way they used to wrap-up the children in the old days so that their arms are warm but it constrains their arms.
Post a Comment