The Stolen Lady by Laura Morelli

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Beautiful Mona Lisa; La Joconde; La Gioconda





The Stolen Lady by Laura Morelli:


Fascinating! I was totally immersed in this historical fiction of Mona Lisa’s life and how centuries later her portrait, along with other art from the Louvre, was kept safe during WWII. I learned so much.

 

The author’s descriptions really brought me back to the time period of the Italian Renaissance. I could imagine the reek of the vats of dye at the Arno River, hear the clacking of the silk looms, and I could picture how the butchers tossed scraps of meat cuttings into the river, adding to the unbearable stench emanating from it, especially in the hot summer.

 

I learned about the class wars during that time period and the Medici Family’s role in it; how DaVinci had a reputation for not completing his projects; and his dislike for Michelangelo who was creating the Statue of David at the same time DaVinci started painting the Mona Lisa.

 

DaVinci’s first person narration toggled back to the third person narration of Lisa’s servant, and then to a Louvre typist in the 1940s who inventoried the massive collection of art and then helped transport it from one location to another to keep it safe. What an enormous undertaking that was! 

 

Don’t let the cover of the book fool you, it’s more about Mona Lisa than a woman who in my mind doesn’t portray the Louvre typist at all.  Also the title “The Stolen Lady” didn’t ring true to me as it was not about the 1911 theft of the portrait, but the creation of it.  That aside, the book was well worth reading.  It opened my eyes to the mysterious Mona Lisa.


Happy Reading,

Annette





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