About the Event
In this online event, Dr. Noah Charney unfolds the strange but true adventures of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa over the course of five centuries.
There is a visual presentation followed by conversation / Q & A with Laura Morelli.
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About The Thefts of the Mona Lisa
The Mona Lisa is without doubt the world’s most famous painting. This book reveals the art and criminal history of the Mona Lisa. Art historian Noah Charney examines the criminal biography of Leonardo’s Mona Lisa, with a focus on separating fact from fiction in the story of what is not only the most famous art heist in history, but which is the single most famous theft of all time.
In the process, he delves into Leonardo’s creation of the Mona Lisa, discusses why it is so famous, and investigates two other events in its history of theft and renown.
First, it examines the so-called “affaire des statuettes,” in which Pablo Picasso and Guillaume Apollinaire were arrested under suspicion of involvement in the theft of the Mona Lisa.
Second, there has long been a question as to whether the Nazis stole the Mona Lisa during the Second World War—a question that this book seeks to resolve.
About The Stolen Lady
Two women, separated by five hundred years, each hide Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa—with unintended consequences. A USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller.
Florence, 1479: House servant Bellina Sardi’s future seems fixed when she accompanies her newly married mistress, Lisa Gherardini, to her home across the Arno. But when Lisa’s husband asks Master Leonardo da Vinci to paint a portrait of Lisa, Bellina finds herself tasked with hiding an impossible secret.
France, 1939: As the Nazis close in on Paris at the dawn of World War II, a young archivist helps the frantic Louvre staff spirit away the Mona Lisa and other priceless works of art to hiding places in the French countryside. But as the dangerous game of cat and mouse comes to a head, Anne realizes her own family may hold the secret to returning the Louvre’s collection to safety.
About Noah Charney
NOAH CHARNEY is the best-selling author of more than a dozen books,including The Collector of Lives: Giorgio Vasari and the Invention of Art, nominated for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in Biography, and Museum of Lost Art, the finalist for the 2018 Digital Book World Award.
He is a professor of art history specializing in art crime, and has taught for Yale University, Brown University, American University of Rome and University of Ljubljana. He is founder of ARCA, the Association for Research into Crimes against Art, a ground-breaking research group, and he teaches on their annual summer-long Postgraduate Program in Art Crime and Cultural Heritage Protection.
He writes regularly for dozens of major magazines and newspapers, including The Guardian, the Washington Post, the Observer and The Art Newspaper. His books include The Devil in the Gallery: How Scandal, Shock and Rivalry Shaped the Art World, Making It: The Artist’s Survival Guide and the as yet unreleased The 12-Hour Art Expert: Everything You Need to Know About Art in a Dozen Masterpieces.
He has written about film for Film International magazine, The Observer and beyond. He has recently fronted an influencer campaign for Samsung, has presented a BBC Radio 4 documentary, and filmed a course of his for The Teaching Company’s Great Courses.
He lives in Slovenia with his wife, children and their hairless dog, Hubert van Eyck (believe it or not). Learn more at noahcharney.com.
About Laura Morelli
LAURA MORELLI holds a Ph.D. in art history from Yale University and is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling historical novelist.
Laura has taught college students in the United States and in Italy. She is a longtime trusted guide in the world of cultural travel, known for her Authentic Arts guidebook series that includes MADE IN ITALY and other guides.
As a historical novelist, Laura’s passion is bringing the stories of art history to life. Her novels have won multiple awards, have been USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestsellers, as well as book club picks at Costco, Target, Veranda, and Hudson News.
The Last Masterpiece, Laura’s most recent historical novel, follows the incredible story of the looting of the Uffizi Galleries’ treasures during World War II.
Her new historical novel, The Keeper of Lost Art, will release in the fall of 2024.