Click and type in a question or commentJust finished reading "Vanished Smile" about the Mona Lisa's disappearance. Having recently watched the 2006 film "The Rape of Europa"—about the looting of art by Nazi Germany before and during World War II and the efforts to find and repatriate afterwards—I was surprised that the Mona Lisa's WWII journey was not covered in "The Prisoner" chapter. The film, based on Lynn Nicholas' book, has a recap of the French efforts to evacuate art from the Louvre, as well as an interview with the daughter of the Mona Lisa's French caretaker during the war.
I understand space and deadlines and such may have prevented this particular story's inclusion. But it might be worth considering again in any subsequent editions.
Thank you for a fascinating peak at the history of the panting, and a wonderful portrait of 1910s Paris.
Andy Baker
Seguin, Texas
Dear Ms. Scotti:
I completed reading your book, "Basilica," and found it lucid, rich and extremely informative with regard to the subject as well as the characters and their relationship to one another. Thank you so much for tying together these charming and intricate strands of history and the personalities who wove them. An excellent work, to be cherished and shared with those with even the slightest curiosity for details about the Eternal City and its patrimony.
Deryl Lusty
Carson, Washington
Dear Ms. Scotti,
I just finished reading Basilica. On my first trip to Rome as a seminarian about 17 years ago, I arrived in St. Peter's Square on foot after a walk up from the train station. I was arriving about 11 hours late - following being rerouted due to a snowstorm and then having to change planes due to mechanical troubles. I arrived in Rome without luggage. I was tired and frustrated. I was determined to walk to the North American College from the station. When I stopped in St. Peter's Square on that quiet December evening and looked up at that facade, I quickly forgot all of my troubles. I returned to Rome a couple of years later to concelebrate the ordination of a friend in the Chapel of the Chair of St. Peter's with about 125 others priests and a few bishops. What an incredible experience! It was truly a connection with the Apostle Peter.
I thoroughly enjoyed your book and I think that you were pretty fair with my brothers in the clergy. [I was a little unsure when I first starting reading!]
I am glad that we have St. Peter's. I know, however, that its existence is not necessary for the Faith to continue. I have celebrated the Mass many times in private homes, nursing homes, in parks, on boats and in dirt floor chapels in the jungle of Peru. The Lord is just as present in a humble chapel among people who will never even see a cathedral as in the glorious spendor of St. Peter's. On my trips to the eternal city, I tried to keep in mind that St. Peter's began as a small shrine to mark the grave of the fisherman from Galilee who became the first bishop of Rome. You are an excellent writer! Thanks for your work.
In peace,
(Fr.) Mark S. Lawlor, Charlotte, NC
Dear Elizabeth,
Thanks for your oood catch. I'm guessing you read the hardcover because we made that correction in the paperback edition. Unfortunately, we were to late to change it in the hardcover.
Let me know what you think of my other books.
Thanks again,
r.a. scotti
Ms. Scotti,
I just finished reading Sudden Sea and found it most impressive. However, I wish to point out, in case you have not already noticed, an error on page 229. The text reads: "Ferryboats took a beating too. From Bridgehampton to Port Jefferson is a short hop -- just twelve miles between the two Long Island towns." In fact, it should read Bridgeport, CT instead of Bridgehampton. The ferry goes from Connecticut to Port Jeff, a twelve mile journey. Bridgehampton is on L.I. but is much further to the east and there would be no reason or easy way to have a ferry connect it with Port Jeff.
I am looking forward to trying one of your other books.
Elizabeth Van Ranst
Massachusetts
Dear Mr. Wishar,
I do know the Vernon house, the story of young William Vernon's adventures in France (he was chaperoned on the trip to Paris by an old family friend, John Adams, and introduced to Parisian society by another family friend, Benjamin Franklin), and the rumors about his Mona Lisa painting. According to the gossip of the day, the handsome young American fell in love with the French queen, Marie Antoinette. Even after the revolution erupted, he stayed in Paris, allegedly unwilling to be separated from the queen. He was arrested, then released. When his family finally coerced him into returning home, he brought an impressive collection of art with him. Each painting was carefully labeled and catalogued except one that he referred to as "the Nun" and was said to have kept in his bedroom. Rumor was that the painting had been a gift from Marie Antoinette, which may well have been true. Court painters frequently copied prized works in the royal collections, and these copies were often given as presents to various people. Mona Lisa was an influential painting and was copied often. Spain and Russia also have their Mona Lisas. But the provenance of the Louvre Mona Lisa is very clear. Francois I brought Leonardo to France where he died in the king's employ, and the Mona Lisa has been in the possession of France ever since Francois bought it. The Vernon painting is a fine copy. Efforts to prove that it is the original Leonardo have never been convincing. I considered including the Vernon adventure in my book because it is such a good story, but ultimately decided against it.
My evening at the beautiful Redwood Library was a pleasure. Thank you for coming and for your interest in my book.
r.a. scotti
Mme. Scotti:
Last May, I heard your lecture at the Redwood Library in Newport and purchased a copy of "Vanished Smile". Recently, a friend of mine who owned the Vernon House in Newport, died. At one time she spoke about the fact that there had been a "Mona Lisa" "copy" at the Vernon House (long story about an early Vernon, William, when in France having been given the painting by Marie Antoinette....)and that the picture is currently in a New Jersey vault, still in the Vernon family. Did you know anything about this painting when writing your book on the Mona Lisa? There was a story about it in the New York Times of 7 Dec. 1913.
Charles F. Weishar
47 John Street
Newport, RI, chezchas2@cox.net
Randy,
Ciro is my brother.
He's a managing editor at Business Week.
Ms. Scotti, I read your book Basilica after a visit to Rome last year. It was excellent. Thank you. While reading it, I wondered if you were related to a fellow with whom I was in the Army. I noticed you are from Providence. His name was Ciro. He and his family (his father was a doctor) lived in a very large house on a corner, if I remember. I visited Ciro and his family in the summer of 1970 or 1971 after we returned from Korea. If you are related, do you know how to reach Ciro?
In the meantime, discovering you are such a prolific writer provides more adventures in reading with a new author.
Randy Schwickert
rschwick@cyberport.net
Whitefish, Montana
To the unsigned writer:
As you know from reading Vanished Smile, I debunk the "confession" of the international con man and the forger that was published in the "Saturday Evening Post." It made a good story, but not a true one. As to the thief, Vincenzo "Leonardo" Peruggia, after extensive research I am convinced that he did not act alone. Actions, statements, letters, and courtroom testimony by Peruggia and others involved in the case indicate strongly that he was hired by others. When the crime became such a cause celebre, and the stolen painting was too hot to handle, Peruggia was abandoned. I believe this strongly although I have not been able to confirm it definitively.
ra scotti
Obviously, the thief Leonardo, could have given up his so-called co-conspirators who were supposed to be the 'brains' of the outfit...but, he never did. Why? He needed money, had the real painting...I believe it is because the co-conspirators were not those two. Sure, they might have taken advantage and sold forgeries based on the theft...but they were never part of the theft (have any of those forgeries ever emerged?). "leonardo' stole the painting on his own. He had no idea that it was supposed to be difficult, and he just benefited from a combination of access, knowledge of the painting and the museum, and semi-dumb luck. Years later when he decided to bring the painting back to Italy, for whatever right or wrong reason, he approached that as naively (even innocently) as he approached the theft. After all, if you walk through a prison, you will not find many geniuses there. It doesnt always take a genius except in the movies.
.
