The Clothes They Stood Up In is Alan Bennetts first story. Like Charles Dickens novels which were first published in magazines; it originally appeared in the London Review of Books - which the author says seems to me (and not just because I occasionally contribute to it) the liveliest; most serious and also the most radical literary periodical we have.
#2584544 in eBooks 2014-04-14 2014-04-14File Name: B00K5E0RAE
Review
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful. Poor Organization and Writing Obscures a Reasonable ConclusionBy Philip HopbellThe author is probably correct in identifying the Van Gogh Wheat Fields and Cypress in the MET as a forgery; however the book is so disorganized and badly edited that its hard to follow his story. This is a book that needed great storytelling and a clear path to its conclusions but parts of the book appear to have been written on index cards and then shuffled. Many unimportant facts are repeated so many times that the repetition frustrated this reader. The sad truth is that had Grundvig been up to the task the impact of his thesis would have forced a review of the painting. I bought the book to add to my collection of books on forgery and art connoisseurship and I already have most of the reference books and articles noted in the book (note to editor: a bibliography at the beginning of the notes would have been helpful).Additionally the tone of the writing is at times needlessly hostile and somewhat immature: the book floats between wanting to be a serious investigation and a popular tale of art high-jinks. Many topics are covered along with the revelations about the painting in question: Van Goghs biography in the South of France to his death; the history of the Buuml;hrle family involvement in looted art; other forgeries; blockchain; etc. With a little effort the book would have benefitted by cutting about a quarter of the text out. Also some illustrations would have been helpful but no doubt prohibited. There are a few factual errors in the text which should have been caught: the Knoedler Gallery was owned by the Hammer foundation with Michael Armand Hammer as its Chairman not The Getty is one example.This is an important topic and I think James Grundivg is correct in questioning the provenance of Wheat Fields at the METbut tighter writing and clear organization would have made this book a must read.5 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Fascinating history told through the story of a Van Gogh painting; with a little intrigue;By william pearlBreaking Van Gogh provides an illuminating look at; what I learned to be; the often nefarious world of fine art dealings. Although primarily a piece of investigative reporting; author James Grundvig has also given us a quite a bit of interesting history. Stylistically; the first few chapters set the stage through Grundvigrsquo;s journalistic approach; relating his conversations with key players and providing some background relevant to the alleged forgery of a Van Goghrsquo;s painting ldquo;Wheat Field with Cypresses.rdquo; This masterpiece has been hanging in the Metropolitan Museum of Art since 1994; when it was bequeathed by the Walter Annenberg Estate. The meat of the book is really a great piece of history writing; meticulously researched and well referenced. Cover up aside; I found it really interesting from a historic perspective alone. The saga of this painting spans more than 100 years and has real connections to many important 20th century European events. This includes both WW1 and WW2; key Nazi figures (Goring); not to mention involving us in the personal lives of Van Goghrsquo;s circle of friends; other famous artists; his family and his psychological deterioration. This interesting narrative is really the vehicle for exploring the (apparent lack of) veracity of the above noted painting. Finally; returning to a journalistic style; the last few chapters are somewhat of a polemic against the high echelon curators of major museum art collections; who often stonewalled the authors attempts to get answers; and also to remove any remaining doubt by the reader that this painting is indeed a forgery. While interesting; we have already been convinced of this probability by the multiple lines of evidence carefully detailed throughout the book. Be it a real conspiracy or just interested parties protecting their careers by putting on blinders; many tough questions are raised about the integrity of the art world. If you are a fan of Van Gogh; art history; 20th century European history; forensics; or just a good conspiracy theory; you will find this a great read.3 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Is it real or fake?By saundraI wasnt surprised but was; with the obvious questions as to paintings in the Met gallery. Makes me wonder how many fake paintings are in the world; claiming to be by the Masters. Enjoyed the read and still go back; reviewing and wondering.
