The stolen lady

Author's name: Laura Morilleidar Publisher: Tars for Publishing and Distribution Year of publication: 2024 Literary classification: Novel Book summary: This wonderful historical novel by the famous author of The Night Portrait tells the story of two women separated by five hundred years, each hiding a Mona Lisa painting painted by Leonardo da Vinci, resulting in unintended consequences. France, 1939 At the dawn of World War II, Anne Geichard, a young archivist working at the Louvre Museum, arrives home to find her brother missing. As she tries to discover his whereabouts, refugees begin flooding into Paris, and German artillery shakes the city. Once the Nazis reach the city, nothing stops them from seizing the Louvre’s art collection. Soon, Anne is sent to Chambord Castle, where the most valuable artworks from the Louvre—including the Mona Lisa—are transferred to ensure their safety. Due to the frantic German pursuit, Anne embarks on repeatedly moving the Mona Lisa and other treasures in a complex manner. As the threat to the masterpieces and her own life approaches, she begins to uncover the truth about her brother and the role he plays in this dangerous game. Florence, 1479 It seemed that the future of the maid, Belina Sardi, was decided when she accompanied her newlywed mistress, Lisa Ghirardini, to her home on the other side of the Arno River. Lisa’s husband’s house, a wealthy silk merchant allied with the powerful Medici family, was filled with antiques and treasures. But Belina soon found herself captivated by a charming monk who urged the people of Florence to revolt against the Medici family, and to empty their homes of the treasures and jewelry they cherished so much. When Mr. Leonardo da Vinci was commissioned to paint a portrait of Lisa, Belina found herself tasked with hiding an impossible secret. When art and war collide, Leonardo da Vinci, his beautiful subject Lisa, and the painting itself find themselves in a difficult position. Laura Morilleidar holds a PhD in art history from Yale University. She has written fictional and non-fictional novels inspired by art history. She teaches university students in the United States and Italy, and lectures on TED-ED. She authored the wonderful shopping guide Made in Italy, which has guided travelers for over twenty years to unconventional ways of shopping. Her award-winning historical novels include The Painter’s Apprentice, The Gondola Maker, and The Night Portrait.