Mysteries are always a welcome addition to the ever present pile of books waiting to be read; mysteries with an art-themed storyline are almost guaranteed top-of-the-stack placement. Recent reading includes two such books: both feature a painting in the opening chapters, beyond which any similarity ends.
Landscape of Lies cover artwork
Landscape of Lies, by Peter Watson, opens with a painted scene, literally - the inside of the cover features a fold-out image of the bizarre medieval landscape that’s at the center of the narrative. The story begins with the painting as the target of a failed burglary attempt. The painting’s value is not in its fame (it’s obscure) or its beauty (it’s mediocre), but in its secrets. In essence it’s a treasure map. Each element, figure or object, placement or color, carries a symbolism that, if decoded correctly, will lead to a cache of religious artifacts hidden by monks during the rule of Henry VIII. From city galleries to ancient churchyards, the chase is on! Despite the sometimes silly dialogue and the predictable romance, the story is a clever one. Originally published in the UK in 1989 (four years before the deciphering of the DaVinci Code), this title was published by Felony & Mayhem in 2005.
Thoughtful and absorbing, described as hauntingly mysterious, The Swan Thieves, by Elizabeth Kostova, is prefaced with a description of an artist, a desolate winter scene and a lone figure: “. . . she does not turn and he finds he is glad. He needs her as she is, needs her moving away from him into the snowy tunnel of his canvas. . . She is a real woman and she is in a hurry, but now she is also fixed forever. Now she is frozen in her haste. She is a real woman and now she is a painting.”
The story begins with an attack on a painting in The National Gallery of Art. A reknowned painter, Robert Oliver, attempts to slash Leda [Leda vaincue par la Cygne], by Gilbert Thomas (1820 -1894), in the pre-Impressionist 19th century gallery. The artwork remains unscathed, but Oliver is institutionalized under the care of psychiatrist Andrew Marlow. What follows is a psychological journey of obsession, inspiration, art and romance that span countries and centuries. Gender and age issues, along with the machinations of the art world, affect both the modern day characters and Victorian lives. Fortunate to receive an advance copy of The Swan Thieves, I enjoyed reading it over the holidays. One note- do not plan on viewing Leda on visits to the National Gallery. Like the story and the characters, the painting is fictional!
