The Art Collector's Daughter by Derville Murphy

Author:Derville Murphy [Murphy, Derville]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Ireland, Kindle Unlimted, Historical, Literary. Women's Fiction, bestselling author, Irish
ISBN: 9781781993903
Publisher: Poolbeg Press
Published: 2020-08-04T23:00:00+00:00

Claire put the letter to one side and flicked through the next few documents. Sylvie had also written to the Neue Pinakothek, a Munich art gallery, asking for information about the whereabouts of the Mateus. A polite reply from the curator informed her that, although they had heard of the work, they had no record of it since it was shown in an exhibition in Galleries Vasseur, in April 1940 in Paris.

Letters sent to Christie’s in London, and the Louvre in Paris received similar replies.

Returning to the file, Claire opened a manila envelope. On the outside was written in Sylvie’s handwriting, Papa’s Letter.

The letter from Paul to Sylvie explained how Paul had made copies of the twelve modern paintings by Picasso, Braque, Léger and Mateus, hidden the originals in framed Turner prints of Venice and shipped them to Ireland to his friend Daniel Courtney.

Claire, stunned, put down the letter as its implications began to dawn on her. If Paul had made copies of the modern paintings as well as the Barbizon works, and these had been sent to Daniel ahead of the German occupation, and only the copies had been burnt by the Gestapo in the fire at the Jeu de Paume, as Émile’s letter had suggested, what had happened to the originals? From Émile’s letter it appeared that Sylvie had not told him that her father had also made copies of the modern paintings. Was it some sort of test?

Of course, it was possible that they did not arrive, that the modern paintings were discovered, as Émile suggested, before they even left France. She felt this was unlikely as the works were sent ahead of the German advance. However, the ship delivering them could have been bombed in transit across the Irish Sea by the Luftwaffe or by a German submarine. She would have to brush up on her history to understand the course of the German invasion.

But, more to the point, the fact that Daniel had received the etching of the rabbit seemed to suggest that he had also received the others. Sylvie also must have come to this conclusion.

Claire poured herself another glass of wine and put her feet up on the table. Was Nicholas aware of this letter, she wondered? She thought briefly about telling him, then dismissed the idea. She neither liked nor trusted the man. And what about Sam? She did like him, was attracted to him if she was honest. But there was a reserve about him, and she still did not fully understand the dynamics of his relationship with his uncle. Sam might very well insist she should tell Nicholas. She knew she should, that it was the right thing to do – it was none of her business really. But then she thought about Sylvie. She had begun to really empathise and relate to her. She had such a difficult life, to have lost both her parents so young and been sent to a foreign country to live amongst strangers. And

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