Masterpiece

by Thomas Hoving

One of the world's finest art treasures, a beautiful, sensual nude portrait by the Spanish master Diego Velazquez, is uexpectedly put up for auction. The art world reacts greedily. Every major museum and the wealthiest and stealthiest private collectors passionately want the painting, the last truly great one by the master in private hands. Even the Soviets are conspiring to acquire it. This brings the CIA and the U.S. National Security Agency into the plots and counterplots. The Mafia and a mysterious Sicilian nobleman hold hidden cards. Some who wish to possess the beautiful Marchesa, it appears, will stop at nothing. Two of the contenders are the dashing director of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., who yearns to run the Metropolitan, and an ambitious and attractive young woman, the Metropolitan's acting director, who sees the acquisition as a means of furthering her career and securing the job of director (something some of her own board members want to deny her). The two are deeply suspicious of each other. They meet in Paris two weeks before the sale. As they vigorously compete for the masterpiece, they find themselves falling in love; they try to keep their personal and professional lives separate -- with fascinating results.

Genres: Fiction, Art

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Thomas Pearsall Field Hoving was an American museum executive and consultant, best known for serving as the Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

His books primarily focus on art-related subjects, including art forgeries, Grant Wood, Andrew Wyeth, Tutankhamen, and the 12th-century walrus ivory crucifix known as the Bury St. Edmunds Cross. His memoir, Making the Mummies Dance, details his years at the Met.

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

The dialogue and political vibe slowed the pace down for me and I couldn't keep track of all the characters. I liked the premis of the story.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author,Thomas Hoving, was formerly director of the Metropolitan Museum and his non-fiction books King of the Confessors and Making the Mummies Dance were exceptional. I can't say the same thing about this novel.

The non-fiction works were filled with insider information on the search for high-stakes "major finds" in the art world and were fast-paced and filled with real-world intrigue. The novel felt contrived compared with the actual case-studies. And, the dialogue seemed very artificial. I'm puzzled that he was so successful in making his non-fiction come alive and so unsuccessful in breathing life into his novel.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining: lots of twists and turns. How to obtain a prized portrait showing snarky board members, conniving sellers and scheming curators. A great tale told by the former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This is a work of fiction.

[Jeanne Mac · Rating 1 out of 5]

boring

[Tonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

neat look at the art world