Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa

by R.A. Scotti

Book Overview

On August 21, 1911, Leonardo da Vinci's most celebrated painting vanished from the Louvre. The prime suspects were as shocking as the crime: Pablo Picasso and Guillaume Apollinaire, young provocateurs... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0307265803
• ISBN13: 9780307265807
• Release Date: April 2009
• Publisher: Knopf Publishing Group
• Length: 241 Pages
• Weight: 1.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.9" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Vanished Smile

The mysterious theft of Mona Lisa on August 21, 1911. The Mona Lisa vanished from the Louvre. It tool 24 hours before museum officials found the painting had disappered. Author Scotti trace the steps of the crime (could Pablo Picasso actual have anything to do with the missing painting?) Detailed and fun to read Vanished Smile will leave the reader's wanting to learn more about this time period and the famous painting abscence at the Louvre in Paris. A must read.

Off the Wall

Though the mastermind behind the theft of the Mona Lisa nearly a century ago may never be known, this book is a well written presentation of the event. It's not often that "page-turner" and "non-fiction" are used together, but this is both. Scotti's style is to tell the story without unnecessary embellishment. It flowed nicely and the pieces of the puzzle fit together well. She provides a needed sketch of da Vinci plus the birth and development of the Mona Lisa. She also gives us a fascinating look at the four hundred years of the painting's travels and travails leading up to the theft; as well as its last hundred years' journies. This book held my attention throughout, and though it is not a long book but it was long enough to treat the story in sufficient detail. This was certainly entertaining and I highly recommend it.

HISTORY MADE FUN--reads like a WHO-DUNNIT!!!

R. A. Scotti makes history FUN! VANISHED SMILE: THE MYSTERIOUS THEFT OF MONA LISA reads like a who-dunnit mystery. She starts with the 1911 theft, then follows along with the investigation as conducted by French officials. Never letting on as to the who as she tells the story of the how. False trails lead to the implication of Pablo Picasso! But, two years later the real thief emerges from the shadows. I won't spoil the ending for you! R.A. Scotti examines contempory as well as later theories as to the WHY of the theft. Included along the way, you'll find lots of information about the history of the Mona Lisa and her creator, Leonardo da Vinci. All of which makes for a fast paced, interesting jaunt through one of history's little "side-shows." Perhaps, like me, you'd never heard about "l'Affaire de la Joconde." It's a story worth learning. One of those strange tales that could happen in ONLY real life! I give VANISHED SMILE by R.A. Scotti FIVE STARS!! Great writing style, a marvelous story, and thought provoking discussion of the possible "unknowns" of the entire case and history of the Mona Lisa. A few illustrations help the story along. As I said, it reads more like a who-dunnit mystery than a non-fiction history book. This is a book that anybody who likes art, Da Vinci, history or mystery could enjoy. Worthwhile, enjoyable reading.

Enticing and Intriguing

I started this book unsure of what to expect, but found myself so intrigued that I couldn't put it down. I knew the history before I started but Scotti wields her words like a paint brush, bring these historical figures to life with such beautiful detail that you feel as though you are there. Each time a chapter comes to an end you think how can the next compare and yet each one is perfectly put together and so satisfying that I am sure I am not the only one to have a hard time putting this book down. I have been trying to decide which part if my favorite however that is a hard task because I feel that each section so compliments the one before and after that they all just meld into a beautiful, thought provoking story. This is not just a book for history buffs of art enthusiasts, this is the kind of book that everyone should read, because, as with her previous book Basilica, Scotti deftly weaves history and fact with vivid characters and cheeky whit so that you never feel as though you are reading a history text, instead you are drawn into a wonderful story (the history lesson is an added bonus). Everyone really should rush out and buy this book, it is well worth it. Enjoy!

Verve and intrigue

"Vanished Smile" by R.A. Scotti is a fascinating account of the theft of Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa' from the Musee de Louvre in 1911. A skilled writer who has previously produced both fiction and nonfiction books, Ms. Scotti is true to the historic specificity of the events but tells the tale with the verve and intrigue of a first-rate crime novelist. The result is an engrossing and entertaining read that should appeal to a wide audience, especially all those interested in art, history, or real-life mysteries. Ms. Scotti leads us through the bizarre sequence of events that surrounded this, the crime of the 20th century. We become acquainted with an array of colorful personalities, from museum curators, petty criminals, forgers, police detectives and famous individuals including Guillaume Apollinaire and Pablo Picasso. We are taken back to a time where we understand how the unfolding drama captivated international audiences and ultimately helped to elevate the Mona Lisa to its present status as the world's most well-known painting. Sandwiched between her narrative, Ms. Scotti includes an absorbing profile and short history of Leonardo and the Mona Lisa. She discusses the artists' life and times as well as his innovative painting techniques that combined to produce one of the most enduring works of art. The shrewd placement of this excursus in the middle of the text serves to heighten the suspense if not deepen the reader's appreciation of the Mona Lisa as both a brilliant technical achievement and cultural icon. In the latter part of the book, Ms. Scotti relates how the perpetrator was finally apprehended while suggesting that unknown others may well have been involved in the heist. Ms. Scotti successfully invokes the enduring mystery about the crime, retelling a washed-up journalist's fanciful yarn that suggests there may have been far more to the story than has been generally recognized. As the author recounts how the Mona Lisa was eventualy recovered and later toured the world to great acclaim, she tantalizingly suggests that the full truth surrounding the theft of the Mona Lisa remains as mysterious to us today as her timelessly captivating and enigmatic smile. I highly recommend this book to everyone.