My ReviewQuite possibly the best historical novel I've read this year! Amazing in every way!
A split time level taking place in Italy in the 1490's and Germany,Poland and a
slight bit in Greensburg, Pennsylvania in the 1940's.
The connection between the time periods is Leonardo Da Vichy's painting Lady with an Ermine, featuring Cecilia Gallerani, and was probably painted at a time when she was the mistress of Lodovico Sforza, Duke of Milan.
For the ermine, purity is more precious than life.
Ermine, as it turns out, became linked with Western European courts due to a symbolic legend stating that an ermine would “rather die than be defiled/soiled”, as translated from the Latin, “potius mori quam foedari”. Hence its representation of royal “moral purity.”
The Night Portrait follows the life of Cecilia Gallerani, the beautiful mistress of the Duke of Milan as she grows and matures from a naive teen to a grown woman with Lodovico Sforza's child and she will do anything to protect and nurture this child.
Art conservator Edith Becker is tasked with the dangerous job of finding this painting and handing it over to Hans Frank – the Butcher of Poland.
"Between 1939 and 1943, the Nazis stole every known painting by Leonardo Da Vinci, imprisoning the original owners or worse. This is the story of the most infamous of
these thefts…"
Taking place during world war 2 this is different than any type of war book I've read. Truly an original master piece .
A must read for lovers of history. You will learn a lot from this book.
I am truly impressed with the research the author has put into this book and her Ph.D. in art history from Yale University is apparent in her writing!
I also found the further reading information at the back of the book highly informative!
Pub Date 25 Sep 2020
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
GoodReads Summary"This is a truly original novel that has earned its place among my favorite works of historical fiction."--Jennifer Robson, USA Today bestselling author of The Gown
An exciting, dual-timeline historical novel about the creation of one of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous paintings, Portrait of a Lady with an Ermine, and the woman who fought to save it from Nazi destruction during World War II.
Milan, 1492: When a 16-year old beauty becomes the mistress of the Duke of Milan, she must fight for her place in the palace—and against those who want her out. Soon, she finds herself sitting before Leonardo da Vinci, who wants to ensure his own place in the ducal palace by painting his most ambitious portrait to date.
Munich, World War II: After a modest conservator unwittingly places a priceless Italian Renaissance portrait into the hands of a high-ranking Nazi leader, she risks her life to recover it, working with an American soldier, part of the famed Monuments Men team, to get it back.
Two women, separated by 500 years, are swept up in the tide of history as one painting stands at the center of their quests for their own destinies.
About The Author
Born
The United States
Website
Genre
The first time I visited Venice as a wide-eyed teenager, I knew I was supposed to buy Murano glass, but I had no idea why.
All I knew was that I was whisked to the famous “glass island” on an overcrowded, stinky boat. I waited behind two dozen American and Japanese tourists to pay an exorbitant price for a little glass fish—what a bewildering experience!
Still, it was the artistic traditions of the world that inspired me to study the past. Living in Europe and Latin America, I realized that in many places, centuries-old craft traditions are still living traditions.
So began my quest to discover craftspeople passing on a special kind of knowledge to the next generation.
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Laura Morelli holds a a Ph.D. in art history from Yale University. Her books include Made in Italy, Made in France, and Made in the Southwest, which lead travelers to some of the world’s most authentic experiences. She has written for many national publications including USA Today and the New York Daily News, and has authored a column for National Geographic Traveler online called “The Genuine Article.” She has taught at Trinity College in Rome, Tufts University, Northeastern University, and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and has spoken to public audiences across the U.S. and Europe.
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