Lost Painting - Jonathan Harr

I just started reading The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr and am really enjoying it. It's nonfiction, but a narrative non-fiction that's very accessible. I think the sections where he discusses the characters' private lives can be weak, but I'm utterly fascinated by the Caravaggio research.

Does anybody have any recommendations for other books about Caravaggio? It seems like he would be a perfect character for a fiction novel with all of his antics.

Has anybody else read this one? What did you think?

I did read that book, and didn't care for it. Two things about it irked me, one the author's fault, one not.

First, I was frustrated by the lack of any documentation and critical analysis. It's all very well for a non-fiction writer to write a compelling narrative. But too many these days sacrifice factual support for their arguments in favor of a novelistic approach. It is possible to have both!

The second problem with the book is the lack of any illustrations. This, I expect, was a problem with permissions, so not the author's fault, but it was awfully annoying.

Lilithcat -

I, too, really would have appreciated illustrations - especially of The Taking of Christ and the St. John that sparked all of this.

As for the documentation and critical analysis, I admit it hasn't bothered me so far (I'm about halfway through). To me, the book reads like an extended newspaper feature story with his sources mainly being the interviewees involved. Since the book seems to be primarily their stories, I'm not overly fussed with analysis. I, personally, feel that advancing arguments in this context would have seemed out of place.

For example, I'm reading We Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families, and there are certainly moments where I find myself demanding from the book where its factual support is for a specific conclusion. I find Gourevitch's conclusions interesting, though sometimes misguided. I mention this to point out that I understand how engaging non-fiction books that do advance arguments are.

Harr's narration of the story of the discovery of The Taking of Christ doesn't seem to compel an argument, so I'm curious: Where/on what aspect would you have liked Harr to advance an argument?

I don't want the above to come across wrong, I'm genuinely curious, not trying to be snotty.

I don't believe that sources need to be identified only when an author is making an argument. It's my view that the reader, if she so chooses, should be able to go to the sources used by the author to verify (or not, as the case may be) the factual assertions made in the book.

It also helps me to know how much credit to give what is said. Is the source reliable? Is it biased? For instance, in The Devil and the White City, Erik Larson's footnotes made it evident that in his discussion of the activities of the murderer, Holmes, he had relied a great deal on stories in the tabloid press. That tells me that I should probably take much of the "facts" with a grain of salt!

The illustrations thing is a pain. When I first read the book, my reaction was, "Why on earth would you publish a book about a painting without images of the painting?!" But then I read Permissions: a survival guide: blunt talk about art as intellectual property, by Susan M. Bielstein, and realized that it was likely a permissions issue.

(P.S. You didn't come across snotty at all!)

lilithcat -

I generally very much agree. I like to have an idea where an author got his facts - especially if he is relying on tabloids. I suppose I misread your point about 'sacrificing factual support for their arguments'.

I think the main reason it didn't bother me much in The Lost Painting is because I got the impression that the vast majority of the story is based on the author's own interviews with the characters in question. I could see where the lack of documentation might frustrate others, though.

Thanks for the recommendation regarding Permissions: a survival guide - I'll have to take a look at that, it sounds extremely interesting!

lilithcat--I very much agree. I'm reading the book right now and while I'm enjoying it as a beach read, it's seriously lacking in terms of critical analysis and bibliographical research.

Though not art-related, I've found that Alison Weir writes rather compelling narrative non-fiction but her work stems from in-depth research and always contains a myriad of bibliographic sources.

To the OP, there are a few novels written about Caravaggio, the first coming to mind being by Christopher Peachment, but I found it choppy and unlikeable. In the case of this particular historical figure, I've found his truth to be even better than fiction.