The American Leonardo: A Tale of Obsession, Art and Money

Harry and Adrée Hahn were given as a wedding present in 1919, a painting purported to be by the hand of Leonardo da Vinci. There was in the art world a certain snobbery that defied a couple from Kansas, of all places, to be in possession of an original by da Vinci, indeed! Between 1900-1914 300 articles on American collecting of European Old Masters America were written; America was obsessed with the value, the purchase price of art work. "The issue of 'How do we know? How can we distinguish originals from a copy, true or false' seemed all the more pressing in 1920, when the Old Master boom was producing record-breaking prices... after all, an original is worth millions, a copy only thousands, or maybe nothing at all." But how does this distinguishing original from copy happen? Enter the connoisseurs of art. Sir Joseph Duveen airily dismissed the Hahn painting as a copy, a fake, at with that the Hahns sued for libel. These art connoisseurs were an elite little group whose self aggrandizement was basically their only qualification. They maintained that connoisseurship trumped art history, that direct experience- seeing the paintings for themselves was the only legitimate way to determine an original. It was therefore, highly personal in every regard and extremely subjective. These connoisseurs could be persuaded to deem a work of art fake or original based on the owner's pedigree, where they lived, whether or not they were new to the world of buying and selling art. And with one decision a painting could be declared a copy and never get another fair look. Enter Harry and Andrée Hahn, incredulous about the process they sought expose process for the biases process it was. Duveen looked forward to the trial as a way to prove that the method of observing art could stand up to scrutiny. This is that story. It is detailed in its analysis of "not just a single painting's travels and fortunes. It also raises questions about how attributions are made, what effect they have on the status and value of paintings, and how the entire system that validates and authenticates Old Master art has developed during the twentieth century." This book is written by a professor in humanities and social science at California Institute of Technology and as such is a bit of a text book in its delivery and for that I gave it four stars rather than five.

The American Leonardo is an interesting history of a painting at the center of of of the great art controversies of the 20th and now the 21st century. Mr. Brewer tells his tale well and for a person who has no background in any kind of Art he gives a real solid history of the players and the environment that produced the controversy. There are very few heroes in this story the experts and the Art community seem more interested in protecting their prerogatives and the the source of their own wealth than the realities, however the Hahn and co see to be also looking for ego and profit. The trial is covered well and the post trial activities are even more interesting and Byzantine in nature. It is very easy to get lost within it. The fact that the author only was able to see the painting in question by not disclosing where it is the most fitting conclusion to the story. Doctor Who - City of Death (Episode 105) comes to mind at once as the question becomes of how important is what a painting looks like for it to be admired and enjoyed. (The story is quite similar as it turns on which of 7 Leonardo's are genuine) It would seem to me that it is all a matter of personal taste, in theory an art historian might have a different standard but in the end it is all subjective. I've seen art in galleries that I thought was junk but it is on exhibit and worth quite a sum. And that brings up the subject of the values. Estimates not withstanding something is by definition worth what people are willing to pay. The various historians (particularly in the late 18th and 19th century had quite a racket. No doubt they admired the works but I'm sure the comfortable and high life and status that their knowledge allowed them was admired by them even more. After reading the book I can't guess what the painting in question is worth but I can tell you that this book is appealing and is worth the purchase price. As an aside if you are into current politics this book will be especially interesting as much of it turns on the difference between the elites and "flyover" country. You can't help but see the parallels.

I don't know much about art. It's one of those things that I just don't get. But it's one of those hallmarks of a cultured man: understand art. And when I go to art museums, I never know if the art is real, and we're sort of relying on experts and a trusted authority. So I've never heard of "La Belle Ferronniere", nor was I unaware of the story behind it. So when this book came across Vine and wasn't fictional, I jumped on it. Back in the turn of the 20th century, the US wealth made a class of people who wanted to do something more than make money, but acquire art as a method of adornment. With vast wealth also comes opportunists, so fakes flooded the market. Mix in the egos of rich men who are more concerned about acquiring as a way to further their egos and you have an environment where fraud can take place. So it's only natural that the story of a couple coming back from the First World War with an alleged painting from Leonardo is met with skepticism and doubt. After all, the science wasn't there to date or properly attribute a painting so you relied on "experts." And like any experts, there are egos at play. And with the ego of money and the ego of academia/culture at war, you get a battle in the courtroom. And despite nearly 90 years of controversy, odds are we'll never see this painting on display at an art museum. The book is not a quick read, but a very well written book. It's definitely from an academic's pen (because facts and logic are forefront instead of the narrative), so if you're looking for exciting writing, you won't get it. But you will get a solid story and lots of background. That's what makes The American Leonardo a compelling read. It's not just about art, it's about ego, greed and wealth: all the hallmarks of the great American novel.

John Brewer covers a lot of ground in his well-written search into the age-old conundrum of proving provenance of a piece of art. Is proof of a painting's artist determined by the "eye" of an art consultant, who "knows" - in this case, Leonardo - or by forensic examination of a painting, using paint chips, wood/canvas, and other technical details? In the late 1800's, as Americans with money moved into world society, many traveled to Europe and came back with artwork to furnish their homes, and in some cases, municipal art galleries. This was an age when wealthy young American women were "sold" as brides to, in many cases, impoverished members of minor European nobility. It was a trade; the brides went East to Europe and the art came West to the US. But how was the art being bought and sold in London, Paris, and New York to be authenticated as a "real" Vermeer or a "real" Raphael? Here's where it got murkey; the great art dealers used independent sources to say what was real and what might have been a really good copy of a painting. Men like the American Bernard Berenson and the Dutchmen Mauritz van Dantzig and Helmut Ruhemann, whose "eye" could authenticate or condemn a painting. Brewer's main story here is that of a painting which may or may not be a Leonardo. The painting, La Belle Ferronniere, had a murky history before it fell/was given/was stolen into the hands of one Harry Hahn, who returned to Kansas City from his WW1 war service in 1920 with both a pretty "war bride" and a painting that might/might not be worth a fortune. All depended on determining the authenticity of the painting, which seems to have been hidden in attics up to the time it Harry Hahn came to possess it. The early 1920's was a boom time for both art and boosterism in the growing, prosperous cities in America's Midwest. Anyway, the Hahns announced they owned this original Leonardo and the claim was dismissed by Sir Joseph Duveen, one of England's premier art dealers. He made his statement without examining the painting and was sued by the Hahn's for a form of slander. The legal proceedings went on for nine years, with the case basically being settled out of court with payment from Duveen to the Hahns in 1929. The painting, which has to this day not been sold, then spent the next seventy years being shipped to France and back again a few times, spent time in London and New York at various museums, all the time being analised by "experts" in the quest of determining "is it" or "isn't it" a real Leonardo. Brewer does an excellent job making the ins and outs of the Hahn painting's many twists make sense to the layman. I suspect the painting will never be authenticated (or sold) and will live out its life in an Omaha warehouse.

The American Leonardo refers to the nickname of a painting called "La Belle Ferronniere" which may or may not be by Leonardo da Vinci. There is one version of the painting that hangs in the Louvre which is considered a genuine da Vinci painting. But in 1919 a returning World War 1 veteran Harry Hahn brought home what he claimed was the original version of "La Belle". But when attempting to sell it an art dealer, Sir Joseph Duveen, claimed it was a fake... without having even seen the painting. The book recounts the history and travels of the "American Leonardo" and explores the issue of how a painting is determined "authentic" and who gets to say it is authentic or not. And, possibly more importantly, who benefits from declaring a painting authentic or fake. Like old stories or relics from the past, at some point it becomes a question of what you choose to believe. A question of faith. Because no one can know for certain that paintings made in the 1400's were actually done by Leonardo da Vinci. There are no photographs, no video recordings, we accept paintings as "Leonardos" because we have been told by "experts" they are genuine. But in this story, at least for the owners of the disputed American Leonardo painting, there is also a financial outcome at stake. If their painting is a true Leonardo, obviously, their piece becomes a valuable commodity. And if their painting is genuine, it could possibly lessen the artistic and financial value of the version owned by the Louvre so they have an interest in claiming it is a fake. With so many motives, positions and status to be maintained, and the less than 100% certainty in "authenticating" an old painting who do you believe? This is a fascinating story about the art world, a Leonardo da Vinci painting, and the issue of authenticity. Highly recommended for those interested in the behind-the-scenes mechanics of the art-authenticating process and Leonardo da Vinci fans.