The Collector's Apprentice

The Collector's Apprentice reawakened my interest in and love or art. Since I especially love Impressionist and post-Impressionist art and had recently been to the actual museum that the fictional museum in the book was based on, the book appealed to me all the more. Thus, the book communicates to me much more than its mere plot, storyline and theme.
The story the novel portrays centers around love and betrayal. But there are really several love stories in this book, each dealing with different kinds of love. First, there is the love of a daughter for her father. next is the platonic love between the two main characters of the book. Then, there is the manipulative kind of love between the villain and the protagonist, the tope of love show more that is really based on the ego needs of one of the lovers. And there is also the kind of reciprocal love where each partner truly loves the other in spite of the difficulty and possible impossibility of being joined for a lifetime.
Beyond the kinds of love that people experience with one another, the novel deals deeply with the type of passionate love one person can feel for something outside them selves. It this case, that thing is art, particularly Impressionism, but it could have just as easily been love of music, dance, poetry, or any of the more everyday experiences of life such as cooking, cars, books, hiking, surfing or anything else that stirs the soul and awakens the emotions of the person involved.
I was disappointed in the last few chapters of the book where it seemed that too much happened too quickly and a bit too contrived by the author, but those chapters were at least redeemed by both eh final chapter and the elements of plot and story discussed above.
Now that I have read the book, I am anxious to learn more about art, to understand it better and to then experience more of it in the many places it is found. show less

First love, so full of happiness and promise for the future, but for 19 year old Paulien Mertens who has to runaway from her home in Brussels, and is now hiding in Paris, all she is left with is heartbreak and a tiny hope that her fiancé didn’t deliberately take her family fortune and destroy their future together.
In Paris, Paulien re-invents herself as Vivienne, and she falls back on the one thing she loves; Art. From the time she was a child her father filled their home with masterpieces from well known artists, and a small collection of Impressionistic artwork that art critics didn’t like; but she loved them. Wanting to feel that connection to her father, she looks for jobs in galleries, and starts modeling for painters. Poor show more but safe, she meets a wealthy American Art Collector and her destiny changes again. With Dr. Edwin Bradley she is brought into the inner circle of the 1920’s art scene at Gertrude Stein’s house. As Dr. Bradley recognizes her expertise, he wants her to help him in Philadelphia with his newly acquired art collection. To follow him to America gives her a great opportunity to realize her dreams, but can she leave behind everything familiar and the lingering doubts about her fiancé?
When I was offered this book I knew nothing about the story, the title was enough to peak my interest. I had read B. A. Shapiro’s The Art Forger which was based on a true story, and I loved it because I’m married to an artist who loves “behind the scenes” art history and I could ask him about the people and places she wrote about. So I was a few chapters into this book before I realized it sounded familiar and when I told him about the storyline and that it reminded me of a documentary we saw, he told me it was about the Barnes Collection. At the end of the novel, the author goes into more detail about how it is loosely based on Albert Barnes and his assistant. The author does a beautiful job bringing this time period to life; I got caught up in the characters lives and the blurring of motives. Even though it was frustrating, I liked how she didn’t let the reader see everything at once and kept all the story-lines moving until the end. The Collector’s Apprentice is a painting with words that took many complex layers of color to complete. 5 stars show less

This was an interesting work of historical fiction based on the Barnes Museum now in Philadelphia. The characters will well developed, and I liked that the book was not chronological. I also liked reading about the personalities of historical figures.

Paulien has been severely wronged and she now finds herself alone in Paris with no money, no friends and her family thinking she has stolen their priceless art collection. To make matters worse it was her fiance who perpetrated the con that led to the loss of the art. Paulien is determined to get to the bottom of things so she makes herself over into Vivienne and she sets out to get her family’s art back and extract revenge on her fiance.

Fortunately Vivienne is perfectly suited for a job in the art world as she was raised in a world surrounded by great art and he father made sure to educate her about art and artists. When she is offered a job by a wealthy American collector she jumps at the chance and is soon helping him and attending show more soirees with Gertrude Stein and Henri Matisse. She and Matisse are soon much more than friends.

Her life becomes a whirlwind of travel between Europe and Philadelphia helping to set up a new museum with her American, Edwin Bradley. But life is never simple, nor is the course of love. Her ex fiance shows up again, but why? Before she can find out he ends up dead and she is the main suspect. Will she be able to finish her work with Bradley? Will she get out from under the murder charges? And where is her father’s art?

Oh, this was a book full of intrigue and mystery. And art – lots of art, whether stolen or not it is the focus of the story. The book is loosely based on real events and I always enjoy a story with a grounding in reality. I found the characters to be interesting and unique. Ms. Shapiro knows how to bring a time period and place alive with her writing. I found myself all wrapped up in the excitement of travel between countries at a time when such travel was far more interesting than it is now. It all came alive as I turned the pages. The ending was not what I was expecting but it was satisfying. show less

The Collector's Apprentice reawakened my interest in and love or art. Since I especially love Impressionist and post-Impressionist art and had recently been to the actual museum that the fictional museum in the book was based on, the book appealed to me all the more. Thus, the book communicates to me much more than its mere plot, storyline and theme.
The story the novel portrays centers around love and betrayal. But there are really several love stories in this book, each dealing with different kinds of love. First, there is the love of a daughter for her father. next is the platonic love between the two main characters of the book. Then, there is the manipulative kind of love between the villain and the protagonist, the tope of love show more that is really based on the ego needs of one of the lovers. And there is also the kind of reciprocal love where each partner truly loves the other in spite of the difficulty and possible impossibility of being joined for a lifetime.
Beyond the kinds of love that people experience with one another, the novel deals deeply with the type of passionate love one person can feel for something outside them selves. It this case, that thing is art, particularly Impressionism, but it could have just as easily been love of music, dance, poetry, or any of the more everyday experiences of life such as cooking, cars, books, hiking, surfing or anything else that stirs the soul and awakens the emotions of the person involved.
I was disappointed in the last few chapters of the book where it seemed that too much happened too quickly and a bit too contrived by the author, but those chapters were at least redeemed by both eh final chapter and the elements of plot and story discussed above.
Now that I have read the book, I am anxious to learn more about art, to understand it better and to then experience more of it in the many places it is found. show less

Rating 3.45

After reading her most current book, "Metropolis" I was taken with Shapiro's style, wit and narrative. And while somewhat engaging, this story pales in comparison due to predictability and tedious pace.

Set in the 1920's during the time of Matisse, Picasso and others, we meet Pauline Mertens, the youngest child of an affluent German family passionate about art and history. Innocent yet extremely attractive, she meets George, who's older when studying at the Slade School of Art. Inexperienced with love, sex and intimacy she falls head over heals and introduces him to her family unaware George had identified them as a mark. In some ways he bears similarity to "Mr. Ripley", a slick con artist who changes identities with ease. show more Over time he manages to bilk her father of millions, steal his treasured art collection and disappear into thin air.

Distraught from what she brought on her family, Pauline escapes to Paris to start over. Months later, she's broke, and nearly homeless when she manages to find a job at a small art gallery. Under the identity of Vivienne Gregsby, her art knowledge impresses Edwin Bradley, a wealthy American collector and over time, he's taken by her eye. Bradley is friends with Henri Matisse, Gertrude Stein, Picasso and others, and as a result, Vivienne is introduced a world she'd always fantasized about. She learns of Bradley's plan to acquire works of the leading Impressionists to set up a private gallery and school and she's eventually offered a position. Before she leaves with him for the US, Matisse seeks her as a lover.

The story toggles back and forth between her journey and a trial where we learn she's the defendant accused of murder. While 30 years Bradley's junior, she finds his strong will, demanding and forceful persona to be challenging. Subject to emotional outbursts and angered easily, Vivienne is the soft spot in his heart. Noticing her disenchantment, Bradley doubles her salary, adds untold benefits and suggests their relationship become personal causing jealousy with his wife Ada. When he decides to make Vivienne sole beneficiary of his will, the plot as they say, thickens.

Meanwhile George continues to change identities bilking millionaires, industrialists and others while keeping tabs on Pauline. As with most predictable plots the 'writing is visible on the wall'.

As a character, Pauline/Vivienne is a bit weak when compared to those in The Art Forger or Metropolis which takes away from the engagement. And while the illuminating elements of Impressionism and the artists that created it is interesting, a book is as strong or weak as the characters and plot. As mysteries go, the lack of twists, the unexpected and predictable outcome make this as weak as the central character.

Shapiro's knowledge of art is one thing, but her failure to deliver a story with engaging characters disappoints. Nothing more need be said. show less

Set in the art world of the 1920s, this novel combines mystery, romance, and history in the story of a young woman caught in a scam. Paulien is initially betrayed by her lover, whose pyramid scheme wipes out her family's fortune and causes her to flee to Paris and change her name to Vivienne. After a time, Vivienne becomes the apprentice to a wealthy art collection Bradley, who establishes an exclusive school in Philadelphia focused on art appreciation. However, Vivienne is still haunted by her scheming lover and when Bradley dies suddenly, she finds herself accused of his murder. Interesting reading, and a book that makes me want to visit the Barnes Foundation, on which is this book is loosely based.