interesting, informative and moving.
My Grandfather’s Gallery is a memoir by journalist and French TV host, Anne Sinclair. Sinclair was also the model for the statue of Marianne, the national emblem of France, the irony of which was not lost on her when she was required to prove her French ancestry for renewal of identity documents in 2010. This bureaucratic incident led Sinclair to research the life of her maternal grandfather, Paul Rosenberg, a well-known Parisian art dealer who was stripped of his French identity during World War Two by the Vichy government because he was Jewish. Using published works and personal archives from her grandfather’s gallery as well as from Musee Picasso, the house of Henri Matisse and Musee National D’Art Moderne, including letters, photographs, and journal articles, Sinclair details Paul Rosenberg’s career, his exile to the United States and eventual return to France. The shocking looting of priceless artworks by the occupying German forces, French collaborators and opportunistic (and often trusted) friends, acquaintances and employees is also described. Paul himself stated: “We recovered some paintings looted by the Germans, or by dishonest Frenchmen. But I am not going to complain, it’s as nothing when you look at the horrors that the Nazis inflicted on human beings of all races, creeds and colors.” As well as discovering the depth of Paul’s friendships with his clients, in particular, Pablo Picasso, Sinclair uncovers some disturbing facts about her grandparents that she regrets learning. There are some amusing anecdotes about the family (“In the Loevi household, you didn’t button up in the face of adversity; you complained a lot and wallowed in your misfortune.”) and famous artists. There is also a heart-warming prologue regarding a plaque placed on the façade of 21 rue La Boetie in Paris, the site of the former Galerie Rosenberg. This is a memoir that will appeal to art lovers and those with an interest in the history of twentieth century art in France. It is flawlessly translated from French by Shaun Whiteside and is at once interesting, informative and moving.
Marianne, 13/10/2014
