What unfolded is the true story of the race to save great European masterpieces. On June 2, Robert Edsel will discuss his newest book, Saving Italy: The Race to Rescue a Nation’s Treasures from the Nazis at the Getty Center.
The book follows Monuments officers Deane Keller (a portrait painter and art professor) and Fred Hartt (an art scholar), who raced to discover the location of billions of dollars of missing artwork taken from the great museums in Florence and Naples as they served alongside frontline troops. With the whereabouts of the art unknown to the Allies, a heretofore obscure SS general holds the works hostage while negotiating a secret Nazi surrender with American spies.
“Edsel’s recovery of the history of the Monuments Men makes for a remarkable and fascinating story,” said Dr. Timothy Potts, director of the J. Paul Getty Museum. “As more recent conflicts have shown, the havoc that war can wreak upon our artistic heritage has unfortunately not diminished and there are important lessons in this book for policy makers and all who care about the preservation of the world’s artistic legacy for future generations.”
Robert M. Edsel
Robert M. Edsel is author of the nonfiction books Rescuing Da Vinci and The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History. Edsel is also the co-producer of the documentary film, The Rape of Europa. In addition, he is the founder and president of the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art. A film adaptation of the Monuments Men story starring George Clooney, Cate Blanchett and Matt Damon is currently in production.
Signed copies of Saving Italy: The Race to Rescue a Nation’s Treasures from the Nazis, will be available for purchase at the event.
This event is presented in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute, Los Angeles.
Saving Italy: The Monuments Men, Nazis, and War
Date: Sunday, June 2, 2013 Time: 3:00 p.m. Location: Harold M. Williams Auditorium, Getty Center Admission: Free; reservations recommended. Call (310) 440-7300 or visit the event site.