The Lost Painting

The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece

By: Jonathan Harr

Narrated by: Campbell Scott

Told with consummate skill by the writer of the bestselling, award-winning A Civil Action, The Lost Painting is a remarkable synthesis of history and detective story.

An Italian village on a hilltop near the Adriatic coast, a decaying palazzo facing the sea, and in the basement, cobwebbed and dusty, lit by a single bulb, an archive unknown to scholars. Here, a young graduate student from Rome, Francesca Cappelletti, makes a discovery that inspires a search for a work of art of incalculable value, a painting lost for almost two centuries.

The artist was Caravaggio, a master of the Italian Baroque. He was a genius, a revolutionary painter, and a man beset by personal demons. Four hundred years ago, he drank and brawled in the taverns and streets of Rome, moving from one rooming house to another, constantly in and out of jail, all the while painting works of transcendent emotional and visual power. He rose from obscurity to fame and wealth, but success didn’t alter his violent temperament. His rage finally led him to commit murder, forcing him to flee Rome a hunted man. He died young, alone, and under strange circumstances.

Caravaggio scholars estimate that between sixty and eighty of his works are in existence today. Many others–no one knows the precise number–have been lost to time. Somewhere, surely, a masterpiece lies forgotten in a storeroom, or in a small parish church, or hanging above a fireplace, mistaken for a mere copy.

Prizewinning author Jonathan Harr embarks on an spellbinding journey to discover the long-lost painting known as The Taking of Christ–its mysterious fate and the circumstances of its disappearance have captivated Caravaggio devotees for years. After Francesca Cappelletti stumbles across a clue in that dusty archive, she tracks the painting across a continent and hundreds of years of history. But it is not until she meets Sergio Benedetti, an art restorer working in Ireland, that she finally manages to assemble all the pieces of the puzzle.

Praise for The Lost Painting

“Jonathan Harr has gone to the trouble of writing what will probably be a bestseller . . . rich and wonderful. . . . In truth, the book reads better than a thriller. . . . If you're a sucker for Rome, and for dusk . . . [you'll] enjoy Harr's more clearly reported details about life in the city.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Jonathan Harr has taken the story of the lost painting, and woven from it a deeply moving narrative about history, art and taste—and about the greed, envy, covetousness and professional jealousy of people who fall prey to obsession. It is as perfect a work of narrative nonfiction as you could ever hope to read.”—The Economist©2005 Jonathan Harr; (P)2005 Random House, Inc.

Entertaining and informative

What made the experience of listening to The Lost Painting the most enjoyable?

The book provided a wonderful listening experience for me by gracefully moving between the present and the past. As the author developed each of the present day charactors (historians, curators and restoration artists), he carefully described their roles in the story. At the same time, I found myself being walked through Caravaggio's tragic life and that experience brought greater life to the works of art he left behind.

A true art mystery is solved.

This was a "page turner" listening book. I rushed to pick up where I left off whenever I could.
The author describes the processes of painting and restoring which allowed me to be able to talk about the observations the key players of the hunt for the painting made. The locations and people are portrayed like good scenes of Dan Brown thriller movie--even about the risky life of the painter himself.

I was satisfied with the way the discovery was made. Is there another book like this for my next book?

Like a Daniel Silva book without the excitement

I liked this book which had been recommended to me. I am a Daniel Silva fan, so I couldn't help but think about his art restorer hero, Gabriel Alon. This book was very informative about the world of art, art restoration and provenance of artwork, but it was missing some excitement for me. I am not sorry that I listened, but wouldn't recommend it.

great..interesting

Would you try another book from Jonathan Harr and/or Campbell Scott?

yes

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

It was educational and like a bit of a detective story without the violence!

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

yes

Any additional comments?

Worth the money. A great relaxing read!

Really enjoyed this book!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Lost Painting to be better than the print version?

Yes, Campbell Scott is one of my favorite narrators.

What other book might you compare The Lost Painting to and why?

Similiar in some ways to Possession but fact based.

Any additional comments?

Especially liked the background concerning Caravaggio's life and wokrs...entertaining and informative.