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“The Collector’s Apprentice” by B. A. Shapiro (Review. Historical Mystery ).The Collector’s Apprentice by B.A. Shapiro
When Paulien discovers that the story of her involvement with a scam artist has followed her to Paris, she realizes she needs more than a new identity to keep her from arrest and destitution. Keeping a low profile, she successfully assists Bradley in amassing an enormous art collection.
Eventually she earns his trust and becomes his partner, a teacher at The Bradley School of Art, and the sole heir to his fortune. For example:. Instead of you and the collection, fear is my companion. The novel is loosely based on the lives of art collector Dr. The Barnes Collection was relocated in to a new site on a 4. Shapiro takes liberty with the actual story, creating an enticing page-turner. The plot unfolds like a daring chess game, ramping up the tension and leaving readers wondering who will come out the winner, as in the opening and closing of this paragraph:.
Shapiro does an extraordinary job merging fact with fiction, bringing not only Henry Matisse and the real Edwin Bradley into the story, but Gertrude Stein and her consort of post-Impressionist artists.
Kathleen Kaska is an award-winning author of numerous books of fiction and nonfiction as well as travel articles and stage plays. In his lifetime, Barnes was adamant about the visibility of the collection and that it should remain as he had placed it. In , many years after his death, his wishes were disrupted by a court ruling that ultimately moved the impressive works to a museum, fashioned after his own display, in Philadelphia and opened more broadly to the public.
Shapiro morphs real-life Barnes into eccentric collector Edwin Bradley, a chemist by trade in a loveless marriage who has a passion for art.
The parallels are uncanny and purposeful. Shapiro creates a gripping thriller with a backdrop of enticing reality.
Bradley hires Vivienne Gregsby to assist him in his buying adventures. Her interest in art was learned at the feet of her father, an avid collector himself. Vivienne is thrust into the art world of Paris and Philadelphia, traveling between the two cities as she helps Bradley build his unparalleled pool of work.
Woven throughout the story are the artists of the day: Picasso, Fitzgerald and Matisse with whom Vivienne has an affair , lending even more reality to this art history whodunit. When Bradley dies, his wife suspects murder and accuses Vivienne, who stands to inherit the mass of the Bradley collection.
The Collector’s Apprentice by B.A. Shapiro – Book Review
Perhaps he will come today. She strolls into a gallery called Arnold et Tripp at 8, rue Saint-Georges. The street name is a good sign. The proprietor is at least fifty, with a heavy beard and what sounds like a Polish accent. As much as I would enjoy the company of a young woman as knowledgeable and beautiful as you, I have neither the resources nor the need. French men are such flirts. Even the old ones. She moves on to Brame et Lorenceau, a gallery with connections to the Manet family.
No luck. The shadows lengthen, and Paulien starts back to her hotel. There was something magical about the diminutive painting, just over two feet square, which soothed and touched her in a way she was too young to understand. She catches her breath. She misses George, wants him. She turns to the stocky man with wide shoulders standing next to her.
Yes, but I prefer the work he did in the last decade of his life. She figures she might as well be honest, as there surely are no jobs to be had in this tiny gallery. When he began to construct objects with color instead of line. He bows slightly and then extends his hand.
Alexandre Busler, he says. And I most heartily agree with you. Apology accepted. But this painting is not without merit, no? Not at all. She wants to say erotically but substitutes, Beautifully. Heat rises along her neck, and Paulien curses her pale skin, which constantly undermines her. What I really like is how you can see his ideas evolving. Like here. She points to the face. Made with thick brushstrokes. Busler leans back and crosses his arms over his chest.
Would you like a cup of tea? Or perhaps something stronger? About when post-Impressionism began and who began it. Listening to you, Alexandre says, I would guess you are an artist. But your fingernails are too clean. From Brussels. But then I was in London for school and stayed after I completed my studies.
Or will be soon. All that rain. And the English. Well, you know how they are. Indeed I do. Alexandre stands and retrieves a pen and notebook from his desk. He gives them to her. Please write down all your particulars, how I can reach you, the exact years you were at the Slade, worked at Whitechapel, anything else you think I should know.
I would not have said so before you walked in, but perhaps there is something we can do. Although it will not be full time and will pay next to nothing. At least not at the start. You are staying at Le Meurice? Why would you want a small position here if you can afford to stay there? I, ah, I. Alexandre glances at her quizzically and then down at the notebook in his hand. Mertens, Mertens. Then he straightens up. Aldric Mertens?
Are you related to Aldric Mertens? You are the daughter, Alexandre declares, disgust creeping into his voice. The one who was involved with that maggot Everard.
He glowers at her. It is no surprise then that you are so knowledgeable about art. My brother is dead because of. He chokes on the words, and his face reddens. Your father, a supposed friend, persuaded him to invest, and he lost everything.
Joseph could not bear the embarrassment, the failure. Paulien jumps from her chair and takes a step toward him. Oh no. So very sorry. Alexandre holds up his hands, and she stops. You need to leave. And if you are smart, you will also get out of that hotel. Out of Paris. This city is smaller than it seems. It will all be cleared up as soon as George finds—. Do not tell me your father just wanted to help Joseph make a few francs.
No, your father was getting a cut of the profits, of this there can be no doubt. And you, engaged to marry that. Alexandre barks a laugh containing no humor, and his eyes are black with derision.
A Swiss banker stole all the money and George is going—. Paulien rushes for the door. She moves quickly away from the gallery, turns at the first corner, slithers into an alley, and pushes herself into a small notch between two buildings.
No one has ever looked at her like that. With such disdain and contempt. Such scorn. When she composes herself, she hurries to the telegraph office. Then she returns to Le Meurice to wait for him.
She holes up in her hotel room, afraid of being seen, eating little, sleeping as much as she can. As the days pass and neither her father nor George appears, it begins to dawn on her that they might not. When she is offered a job by a wealthy American collector she jumps at the chance and is soon helping him and attending soirees with Gertrude Stein and Henri Matisse. She and Matisse are soon much more than friends. Her life becomes a whirlwind of travel between Europe and Philadelphia helping to set up a new museum with her American, Edwin Bradley.
But life is never simple, nor is the course of love. Her ex fiance shows up again, but why? Before she can find out he ends up dead and she is the main suspect. Will she be able to finish her work with Bradley? Will she get out from under the murder charges? Oh, this was a book full of intrigue and mystery. It will be released 16 October You are commenting using your WordPress.
You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account. Notify me of new comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email. Like this: Like Loading Leave a Reply Cancel reply Enter your comment here Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:. It did take me a while to understand George’s role – he is quite an insufferable character – and it was only in the final chapters that it became clear why he was part of this story.
I don’t want to give away too much, but can say the end is quite clever! This is the story about a fascinating era, the birth of incredible modern art collections, important artists, and strong-willed collectors. Fans of art history and historical fiction will really enjoy this one. Good story, some famous people of the time appear, a good plot and it might be a good story for a sequel given the enigmatic ending!
This is the most interesting book I have read in a long time. Wonderful, complex reading for those interested in art, art history, aesthetics, the s decade Shapiro has a fine hand when it comes to the English language; she wields this admirable asset deftly and effectively. Example: Descriptive passages allowing the reader to visualize. She challenges the reader to keep up, and this is one of her many strengths.
Example: Moving the story through time and space with ease and facility. The story includes many historical characters who speaks as they would have spoken. Warning: Do not start this book at bedtime. You won’t be able to stop. I loved it. I was disappointed in this book it was not nearly as captivating as her earlier books. I found the language too simplistic and the plot boring. And I usually love books about art and art history.
This one I put aside half read. Really enjoyed the storyline, character development and description of the artwork. See all reviews. Top reviews from other countries. Translate all reviews to English. Report abuse.
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The collectors apprentice book review free
A woman with a shameful past, now in search of revenge and her family’s forgiveness, finds herself assisting an irascible patron of the arts who is building. When the eccentric and wealthy American art collector Edwin Bradley offers Vivienne the perfect job, she is soon caught up in the Parisian world of post-.