Overview

In August 1939, curators at the Louvre nestled the world's most famous painting into a special red velvet-lined case and spirited her away to the Loire Valley. So began the biggest evacuation of art and antiquities in history. As the Germans neared Paris in 1940, the French raced to move the masterpieces still further south, then again and again during the war, crisscrossing the southwest of France. Throughout the German occupation, the museum staff fought to keep the priceless treasures out of the hands of Hitler and his henchmen, often risking their lives to protect the country's artistic heritage. Thus a story that features as a vignette in the George Clooney film The Monuments Men is given the full-length treatment it demands. The recipient of several independent publishing awards in the United States, and illustrated throughout with nearly 100 photographs, Saving Mona Lisa is a compelling true story of art and beauty, intrigue and ingenuity, and remarkable moral courage in the darkest of times.

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9781785784163

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Gerri Chanel's account of how France preserved its art from both the destruction of war and the pillaging of the German occupiers reads like a thriller -- Caroline Moorehead * TLS * Fantastic ... At its best this is a story of the inhabitants of a humiliated country doing all in their power to preserve their nation's cultural heritage ... The black-and-white photographs in this book are worth of an art exhibition in themselves. * Daily Mail * Chanel's history is a work of substance and scholarship that should be part of every art history collection and required reading for anyone who cares about Western civilization. * Booklist (starred review) * A brilliant piece of storytelling explaining how the masterpieces of the Louvre escaped Göring's mantelpiece and Himmler's walls ... This is a grippingly written and meticulously researched contribution to the history of the Second World War. * The Tablet * A compelling true account of the men and women who fought to save France's heritage and a fascinating story of art and intrigue. * France Magazine * This book tells a fascinating story. * Choice *

'Saving Mona Lisa is a detailed, inspiring account of the war-time courage, daring and ingenuity shown by the men and women of the Louvre who risked their lives to save France's art treasures from the voracious Nazi plunderers. Gerri Chanel's comprehensive, careful survey fills an important gap in the literature dealing with this chapter of history and gives long overdue recognition to the bravery of those who were prepared to fight to the death for beauty, art and the achievements of civilisation.' -- Catherine Hickley

`Gerri Chanel's account of how France preserved its art from both the destruction of war and the pillaging of the German occupiers reads like a thriller' -- Caroline Moorehead * TLS * 'Fantastic ... At its best this is a story of the inhabitants of a humiliated country doing all in their power to preserve their nation's cultural heritage ... The black-and-white photographs in this book are worth of an art exhibition in themselves.' * Daily Mail * 'Chanel's history is a work of substance and scholarship that should be part of every art history collection and required reading for anyone who cares about Western civilization.' * Booklist (starred review) * 'A brilliant piece of storytelling explaining how the masterpieces of the Louvre escaped Goering's mantelpiece and Himmler's walls ... This is a grippingly written and meticulously researched contribution to the history of the Second World War.' * The Tablet * 'A compelling true account of the men and women who fought to save France's heritage and a fascinating story of art and intrigue.' * France Magazine * 'This book tells a fascinating story.' * Choice *

Author Information

Gerri Chanel is a prize-winning freelance journalist. She lived in France for five years, where she began the research for Saving Mona Lisa. She now divides her time between Paris and New York.

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