Reviews
"A rich account of Napoleon's looting of Italian masterpieces . . . Saltzman unearths fascinating details . . . a rich and rewarding look at the legacy of wartime art theft and the turbulent life of an Italian masterpiece." -- Publishers Weekly "Cynthia Saltzman guides us on a fascinating journey from sixteenth-century Venice to Napoleonic France, telling a story as spellbinding--and as peopled with vibrant characters--as Veronese's canvas itself. Plunder shows how even the greatest masterpieces can fall victim to power politics, personal ambition and the grim vicissitudes of history." --Ross King , author of Brunelleschi's Dome , The Judgment of Paris , and Mad Enchantment "'Taking without taste, without choice, is ignorance and near vandalism,' Napoleon's advisers reminded him. He had no such intention. For a Venetian war trophy he set his sights on Veronese's masterpiece, 'liberated' from a damp wall in 1797, wrapped around cylinders, and shipped in a crate to the Louvre, where it became a different painting, changed the course of Western art, and where--half its lifetime later--it hangs still today. Cynthia Saltzman offers up a rich, thrilling master class on the art of power and the power of art, contemplating triumphs of both kinds, as well as the fate of glory when pinned to a wall." --Stacy Schiff , author of The Witches and Cleopatra, "By recounting the long, strange journey of this painting through unsuspected wars, bloodshed, perilous seas, and finally, its close escape from Nazi hands, Saltzman makes one appreciate the beauty of The Wedding Feast at Cana anew. That it still exists is a miracle all by itself. I hope she will keep on looking for new miracles." --Meryle Secrest, The American Scholar "A rich account of Napoleon's looting of Italian masterpieces . . . Saltzman unearths fascinating details . . . a rich and rewarding look at the legacy of wartime art theft and the turbulent life of an Italian masterpiece." -- Publishers Weekly "'Taking without taste, without choice, is ignorance and near vandalism,' Napoleon's advisers reminded him. He had no such intention. For a Venetian war trophy he set his sights on Veronese's masterpiece, 'liberated' from a damp wall in 1797, wrapped around a cylinder, and shipped in a crate to the Louvre, where it became a different painting, changed the course of Western art, and where--half its lifetime later--it hangs still today. Cynthia Saltzman offers up a rich, thrilling master class on the art of power and the power of art, contemplating triumphs of both kinds, as well as the fate of glory when pinned to a wall." --Stacy Schiff, author of The Witches and Cleopatra "Cynthia Saltzman guides us on a fascinating journey from sixteenth-century Venice to Napoleonic France, telling a story as spellbinding--and as peopled with vibrant characters--as Veronese's canvas itself. Plunder shows how even the greatest masterpieces can fall victim to power politics, personal ambition, and the grim vicissitudes of history." --Ross King, author of Mad Enchantment , The Judgment of Paris , and Brunelleschi's Dome "Veronese's Wedding Feast at Cana --the greatest party ever put to paint--is the ripe plum at the center of this artful, deeply-researched, and sumptuous account of Napoleon's plunder of European art. Cynthia Saltzman, much like Veronese himself, uses her story to bring to vivid life a large and colorful cast of characters, ranging from ambitious artists to plotting diplomats. We watch Veronese paint. We see Napoleon sulk. This book is a feast all its own." --Mark Stevens, coauthor with Annalyn Swan of of de Kooning: An American Master and Francis Bacon: Revelations "Meticulously investigated, Cynthia Saltzman's Plunder is an epic account, as grand as the painting that is at the heart of this tragic story." --Xavier F. Salomon, deputy director and Peter Jay Sharp chief curator at the Frick Collection "With evocative prose, Cynthia Saltzman traces the journey of one of the greatest of all Italian paintings--Paolo Veronese's Wedding Feast at Cana --from the refectory of a monastery in Venice to its current home, where it faces the Mona Lisa in the busiest room of the Louvre. Moving deftly from the sixteenth century to the eighteenth to the twenty-first, Saltzman brings to life dozens of characters connected to this masterpiece. This lively account offers valuable perspective to all who care about the world's artistic treasures and our responsibility to preserve them for future generations." --Frederick Ilchman, chair of the Art of Europe at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and chairman of Save Venice, "A rich account of Napoleon's looting of Italian masterpieces . . . Saltzman unearths fascinating details . . . a rich and rewarding look at the legacy of wartime art theft and the turbulent life of an Italian masterpiece." -- Publishers Weekly "Cynthia Saltzman guides us on a fascinating journey from sixteenth-century Venice to Napoleonic France, telling a story as spellbinding--and as peopled with vibrant characters--as Veronese's canvas itself. Plunder shows how even the greatest masterpieces can fall victim to power politics, personal ambition, and the grim vicissitudes of history." --Ross King, author of Mad Enchantment , The Judgment of Paris , and Brunelleschi's Dome "'Taking without taste, without choice, is ignorance and near vandalism,' Napoleon's advisers reminded him. He had no such intention. For a Venetian war trophy he set his sights on Veronese's masterpiece, 'liberated' from a damp wall in 1797, wrapped around a cylinder, and shipped in a crate to the Louvre, where it became a different painting, changed the course of Western art, and where--half its lifetime later--it hangs still today. Cynthia Saltzman offers up a rich, thrilling master class on the art of power and the power of art, contemplating triumphs of both kinds, as well as the fate of glory when pinned to a wall." --Stacy Schiff, author of The Witches and Cleopatra "Veronese's Wedding Feast at Cana --the greatest party ever put to paint--is the ripe plum at the center of this artful, deeply-researched, and sumptuous account of Napoleon's plunder of European art. Cynthia Saltzman, much like Veronese himself, uses her story to bring to vivid life a large and colorful cast of characters, ranging from ambitious artists to plotting diplomats. We watch Veronese paint. We see Napoleon sulk. This book is a feast all its own." --Mark Stevens, coauthor with Annalyn Swan of of de Kooning: An American Master and Francis Bacon: Revelations "With engrossing prose, Cynthia Saltzman traces the journey of one of the greatest of all Italian paintings--Paolo Veronese's Wedding Feast at Cana --from its first home, in the refectory of a monastery in Venice, to its current one, where it faces the Mona Lisa in the busiest room of the Louvre. Moving deftly from the sixteenth century to the eighteenth to the twenty-first, Saltzman brings to life dozens of characters connected to this masterpiece. Two audacious young men rightly receive the most attention: Veronese, who painted the vast canvas, and Napoleon, who plundered it. Both men seized opportunities like few before them. This lively account illuminates many episodes relevant to discussions about cultural policy today, including the history of art museums, the spoils of war, and the complexities of cultural patrimony. Saltzman's book offers valuable perspective to all who care about the world's artistic treasures and our responsibility to preserve them for future generations." --Frederick Ilchman, chair, Art of Europe at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and chairman of Save Venice, "A rich account of Napoleon's looting of Italian masterpieces . . . Saltzman unearths fascinating details . . . a rich and rewarding look at the legacy of wartime art theft and the turbulent life of an Italian masterpiece." -- Publishers Weekly "'Taking without taste, without choice, is ignorance and near vandalism,' Napoleon's advisers reminded him. He had no such intention. For a Venetian war trophy he set his sights on Veronese's masterpiece, 'liberated' from a damp wall in 1797, wrapped around a cylinder, and shipped in a crate to the Louvre, where it became a different painting, changed the course of Western art, and where--half its lifetime later--it hangs still today. Cynthia Saltzman offers up a rich, thrilling master class on the art of power and the power of art, contemplating triumphs of both kinds, as well as the fate of glory when pinned to a wall." --Stacy Schiff, author of The Witches and Cleopatra "Cynthia Saltzman guides us on a fascinating journey from sixteenth-century Venice to Napoleonic France, telling a story as spellbinding--and as peopled with vibrant characters--as Veronese's canvas itself. Plunder shows how even the greatest masterpieces can fall victim to power politics, personal ambition, and the grim vicissitudes of history." --Ross King, author of Mad Enchantment , The Judgment of Paris , and Brunelleschi's Dome "Veronese's Wedding Feast at Cana --the greatest party ever put to paint--is the ripe plum at the center of this artful, deeply-researched, and sumptuous account of Napoleon's plunder of European art. Cynthia Saltzman, much like Veronese himself, uses her story to bring to vivid life a large and colorful cast of characters, ranging from ambitious artists to plotting diplomats. We watch Veronese paint. We see Napoleon sulk. This book is a feast all its own." --Mark Stevens, coauthor with Annalyn Swan of of de Kooning: An American Master and Francis Bacon: Revelations "Meticulously investigated, Cynthia Saltzman's Plunder is an epic account, as grand as the painting that is at the heart of this tragic story." --Xavier F. Salomon, deputy director and Peter Jay Sharp chief curator at the Frick Collection "With evocative prose, Cynthia Saltzman traces the journey of one of the greatest of all Italian paintings--Paolo Veronese's Wedding Feast at Cana --from the refectory of a monastery in Venice to its current home, where it faces the Mona Lisa in the busiest room of the Louvre. Moving deftly from the sixteenth century to the eighteenth to the twenty-first, Saltzman brings to life dozens of characters connected to this masterpiece. This lively account offers valuable perspective to all who care about the world's artistic treasures and our responsibility to preserve them for future generations." --Frederick Ilchman, chair of the Art of Europe at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and chairman of Save Venice, "By recounting the long, strange journey of this painting through unsuspected wars, bloodshed, perilous seas, and finally, its close escape from Nazi hands, Saltzman makes one appreciate the beauty of The Wedding Feast at Cana anew. That it still exists is a miracle all by itself. I hope she will keep on looking for new miracles." --Meryle Secrest, The American Scholar "A rich account of Napoleon's looting of Italian masterpieces . . . Saltzman unearths fascinating details . . . a rich and rewarding look at the legacy of wartime art theft and the turbulent life of an Italian masterpiece." -- Publishers Weekly Art historian Saltzman's narrative is packed with drama and detail . . . With its extensive bibliography and compelling story, Plunder will appeal to everyone interested in Western art and civilization." --Carolyn Mulac, Booklist "'Taking without taste, without choice, is ignorance and near vandalism,' Napoleon's advisers reminded him. He had no such intention. For a Venetian war trophy he set his sights on Veronese's masterpiece, 'liberated' from a damp wall in 1797, wrapped around a cylinder, and shipped in a crate to the Louvre, where it became a different painting, changed the course of Western art, and where--half its lifetime later--it hangs still today. Cynthia Saltzman offers up a rich, thrilling master class on the art of power and the power of art, contemplating triumphs of both kinds, as well as the fate of glory when pinned to a wall." --Stacy Schiff, author of The Witches and Cleopatra "Cynthia Saltzman guides us on a fascinating journey from sixteenth-century Venice to Napoleonic France, telling a story as spellbinding--and as peopled with vibrant characters--as Veronese's canvas itself. Plunder shows how even the greatest masterpieces can fall victim to power politics, personal ambition, and the grim vicissitudes of history." --Ross King, author of Mad Enchantment , The Judgment of Paris , and Brunelleschi's Dome "Veronese's Wedding Feast at Cana --the greatest party ever put to paint--is the ripe plum at the center of this artful, deeply-researched, and sumptuous account of Napoleon's plunder of European art. Cynthia Saltzman, much like Veronese himself, uses her story to bring to vivid life a large and colorful cast of characters, ranging from ambitious artists to plotting diplomats. We watch Veronese paint. We see Napoleon sulk. This book is a feast all its own." --Mark Stevens, coauthor with Annalyn Swan of of de Kooning: An American Master and Francis Bacon: Revelations "Meticulously investigated, Cynthia Saltzman's Plunder is an epic account, as grand as the painting that is at the heart of this tragic story." --Xavier F. Salomon, deputy director and Peter Jay Sharp chief curator at the Frick Collection "With evocative prose, Cynthia Saltzman traces the journey of one of the greatest of all Italian paintings--Paolo Veronese's Wedding Feast at Cana --from the refectory of a monastery in Venice to its current home, where it faces the Mona Lisa in the busiest room of the Louvre. Moving deftly from the sixteenth century to the eighteenth to the twenty-first, Saltzman brings to life dozens of characters connected to this masterpiece. This lively account offers valuable perspective to all who care about the world's artistic treasures and our responsibility to preserve them for future generations." --Frederick Ilchman, chair of the Art of Europe at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and chairman of Save Venice, "By recounting the long, strange journey of this painting through unsuspected wars, bloodshed, perilous seas, and finally, its close escape from Nazi hands, Saltzman makes one appreciate the beauty of The Wedding Feast at Cana anew. That it still exists is a miracle all by itself. I hope she will keep on looking for new miracles." --Meryle Secrest, The American Scholar "A rich account of Napoleon''s looting of Italian masterpieces . . . Saltzman unearths fascinating details . . . a rich and rewarding look at the legacy of wartime art theft and the turbulent life of an Italian masterpiece." -- Publishers Weekly Art historian Saltzman''s narrative is packed with drama and detail . . . With its extensive bibliography and compelling story, Plunder will appeal to everyone interested in Western art and civilization." --Carolyn Mulac, Booklist "A fascinating overview of Venetian artworks, artists, patrons, techniques, and pigments . . . Readers with an interest in art history and those with an interest in stolen art . . . will appreciate this well-researched and well-written history." --Laurie Unger Skinner, Library Journal "''Taking without taste, without choice, is ignorance and near vandalism,'' Napoleon''s advisers reminded him. He had no such intention. For a Venetian war trophy he set his sights on Veronese''s masterpiece, ''liberated'' from a damp wall in 1797, wrapped around a cylinder, and shipped in a crate to the Louvre, where it became a different painting, changed the course of Western art, and where--half its lifetime later--it hangs still today. Cynthia Saltzman offers up a rich, thrilling master class on the art of power and the power of art, contemplating triumphs of both kinds, as well as the fate of glory when pinned to a wall." --Stacy Schiff, author of The Witches and Cleopatra "Cynthia Saltzman guides us on a fascinating journey from sixteenth-century Venice to Napoleonic France, telling a story as spellbinding--and as peopled with vibrant characters--as Veronese''s canvas itself. Plunder shows how even the greatest masterpieces can fall victim to power politics, personal ambition, and the grim vicissitudes of history." --Ross King, author of Mad Enchantment , The Judgment of Paris , and Brunelleschi''s Dome "Veronese''s Wedding Feast at Cana --the greatest party ever put to paint--is the ripe plum at the center of this artful, deeply-researched, and sumptuous account of Napoleon''s plunder of European art. Cynthia Saltzman, much like Veronese himself, uses her story to bring to vivid life a large and colorful cast of characters, ranging from ambitious artists to plotting diplomats. We watch Veronese paint. We see Napoleon sulk. This book is a feast all its own." --Mark Stevens, coauthor with Annalyn Swan of of de Kooning: An American Master and Francis Bacon: Revelations "Meticulously investigated, Cynthia Saltzman''s Plunder is an epic account, as grand as the painting that is at the heart of this tragic story." --Xavier F. Salomon, deputy director and Peter Jay Sharp chief curator at the Frick Collection "With evocative prose, Cynthia Saltzman traces the journey of one of the greatest of all Italian paintings--Paolo Veronese''s Wedding Feast at Cana --from the refectory of a monastery in Venice to its current home, where it faces the Mona Lisa in the busiest room of the Louvre. Moving deftly from the sixteenth century to the eighteenth to the twenty-first, Saltzman brings to life dozens of characters connected to this masterpiece. This lively account offers valuable perspective to all who care about the world''s artistic treasures and our responsibility to preserve them for future generations." --Frederick Ilchman, chair of the Art of Europe at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and chairman of Save Venice, "A rich account of Napoleon's looting of Italian masterpieces . . . Saltzman unearths fascinating details . . . a rich and rewarding look at the legacy of wartime art theft and the turbulent life of an Italian masterpiece." -- Publishers Weekly, "[a] well-written, carefully constructed, artistic gem of a book . . . Saltzman can convey her knowledge with clarity as well as wisdom . . . An excellent book." --Jeremy Black, The New Criterion "By recounting the long, strange journey of this painting through unsuspected wars, bloodshed, perilous seas, and finally, its close escape from Nazi hands, Saltzman makes one appreciate the beauty of The Wedding Feast at Cana anew. That it still exists is a miracle all by itself. I hope she will keep on looking for new miracles." --Meryle Secrest, The American Scholar "A rich account of Napoleon''s looting of Italian masterpieces . . . Saltzman unearths fascinating details . . . a rich and rewarding look at the legacy of wartime art theft and the turbulent life of an Italian masterpiece." -- Publishers Weekly Art historian Saltzman''s narrative is packed with drama and detail . . . With its extensive bibliography and compelling story, Plunder will appeal to everyone interested in Western art and civilization." --Carolyn Mulac, Booklist "A fascinating overview of Venetian artworks, artists, patrons, techniques, and pigments . . . Readers with an interest in art history and those with an interest in stolen art . . . will appreciate this well-researched and well-written history." --Laurie Unger Skinner, Library Journal "''Taking without taste, without choice, is ignorance and near vandalism,'' Napoleon''s advisers reminded him. He had no such intention. For a Venetian war trophy he set his sights on Veronese''s masterpiece, ''liberated'' from a damp wall in 1797, wrapped around a cylinder, and shipped in a crate to the Louvre, where it became a different painting, changed the course of Western art, and where--half its lifetime later--it hangs still today. Cynthia Saltzman offers up a rich, thrilling master class on the art of power and the power of art, contemplating triumphs of both kinds, as well as the fate of glory when pinned to a wall." --Stacy Schiff, author of The Witches and Cleopatra "Cynthia Saltzman guides us on a fascinating journey from sixteenth-century Venice to Napoleonic France, telling a story as spellbinding--and as peopled with vibrant characters--as Veronese''s canvas itself. Plunder shows how even the greatest masterpieces can fall victim to power politics, personal ambition, and the grim vicissitudes of history." --Ross King, author of Mad Enchantment , The Judgment of Paris , and Brunelleschi''s Dome "Veronese''s Wedding Feast at Cana --the greatest party ever put to paint--is the ripe plum at the center of this artful, deeply-researched, and sumptuous account of Napoleon''s plunder of European art. Cynthia Saltzman, much like Veronese himself, uses her story to bring to vivid life a large and colorful cast of characters, ranging from ambitious artists to plotting diplomats. We watch Veronese paint. We see Napoleon sulk. This book is a feast all its own." --Mark Stevens, coauthor with Annalyn Swan of of de Kooning: An American Master and Francis Bacon: Revelations "Meticulously investigated, Cynthia Saltzman''s Plunder is an epic account, as grand as the painting that is at the heart of this tragic story." --Xavier F. Salomon, deputy director and Peter Jay Sharp chief curator at the Frick Collection "With evocative prose, Cynthia Saltzman traces the journey of one of the greatest of all Italian paintings--Paolo Veronese''s Wedding Feast at Cana --from the refectory of a monastery in Venice to its current home, where it faces the Mona Lisa in the busiest room of the Louvre. Moving deftly from the sixteenth century to the eighteenth to the twenty-first, Saltzman brings to life dozens of characters connected to this masterpiece. This lively account offers valuable perspective to all who care about the world''s artistic treasures and our responsibility to preserve them for future generations." --Frederick Ilchman, chair of the Art of Europe at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and chairman of Save Venice
