On September 20, 1940, one of the most famous European art dealers disembarked in New York, one of hundreds of Jewish refugees fleeing Vichy France. Leaving behind his beloved Paris gallery, Paul Rosenberg had managed to save his family, but his paintings—modern masterpieces by Cézanne, Monet, Sisley and others—were not so fortunate. As he fled, dozens of works were seized by Nazi forces and the art dealer's own legacy eradicated.
More than a half century later, Anne Sinclair uncovered a box filled with letters. 'Curious in spite of myself,' she writes, 'I plunged into these archives, in search of the story of my family. To find out who my mother's father really was. . . a man hailed as a pioneer in the world of modern art, who then became a pariah in his own country during the Second World War. I was overcome with a desire to fit together the pieces of this French story of art and war.'
Drawing on her grandfather's intimate correspondences with Picasso, Matisse, Braque and others, Sinclair takes us on a personal journey through the life of a legendary member of the Parisian art scene. Rosenberg's story is emblematic of millions of Jews, rich and poor, whose lives were indelibly altered in WWII. Sinclair's journey to reclaim her family history paints a picture of modern art on both sides of the Atlantic between the 1920s and 1950s, and reframes twentieth century art history.
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
