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Jan 10, 2018sharon711 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Rothchild was moved as a young woman by Watteau’s portrait of Pierrot in the Louvre. The artist’s adeptness at transferring his feelings of love and loneliness into images was her inspiration for the fictional painting she called “The Improbability of Love.” This small canvas takes centre stage in her novel of the same name. With her lively satire of the art world, Hannah Rothchild shows how works of art are “humanity’s secret diary,” containing messages that are difficult to express in other ways. Through a dizzying array of characters who either collect art, curate it, or service the needs of the wealthy, Rothchild weaves a tale of excess where money, power and status are all interrelated. She embroils these people in a complex plot involving art theft and betrayals that reaches back to Nazi Germany. Through this convoluted story, we see how the value of a particular piece can be enhanced, sometimes to unimaginable heights. My review wouldn’t be complete without mention of Annie, the character who discovers the Watteau painting languishing in a junk shop and brings it home. Through her work as a wonderfully creative chef who services the wealthy folks that people the art world, we see food itself raised to an art form. For Annie, food is like performance art - its power lies in its transience and immediacy - and it speaks of love, memory, the past, and the future. Whether you like mysteries, art or fine dining, there is something in this charming story for everyone.