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A review by jillx27
The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith
4.0
I loved this book that is set over 3 time periods in 3 cities. You have to read the chapter titles to see where and when each chapter is set but it is done brilliantly.
Amsterdam, 1630s Sara de Vos has lost her daughter and her husband leaves so is left in reduced circumstances. A patrons sees a painting Sara did of a barefooted girl watching children skating on a lake (The Edge of the Wood). He sought her out and employers her to paint a model of an abandoned village.
Sara stays with her patron, falls in love with the stable hand and produces more paintings.
Sara's painting is handed down in a family for 300 years and we join the story in New York in the 1950s. Marty de Groot, a successful lawyer owns the painting. One day he notices his painting has been replaced with a forgery and he is determined to find out who has violated his trust.
Ellie is a young Australian art restorer scraping by in New York while finishing her Art thesis. She paints the forgery thinking it is just for security reasons for the the owner.
Marty finds out Ellie did the forgery, befriends her and seduces her. Ellie does not realise Marty is the true owner of the forgery and allows herself to be seduced. Once Marty has done what he wants he abandons Ellie.
Ellie is so hurt and confused she flees to Europe.
Sydney 2000, Ellie is a professor of Art at Sydney University curating an exhibition of female Dutch painters. Both versions of The Edge of the Wood are about to arrive in Sydney as well as the other painting Sara did - The Funeral Procession.
Marty is an old man bringing his painting to the exhibition. He is truly sorry for what he did to Ellie. Ellie is truly sorry for forging Marty's painting. They agree that each has lived a life full of regrets.
The end of this tale ties everything up nicely. I was captivated until the end and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.
Amsterdam, 1630s Sara de Vos has lost her daughter and her husband leaves so is left in reduced circumstances. A patrons sees a painting Sara did of a barefooted girl watching children skating on a lake (The Edge of the Wood). He sought her out and employers her to paint a model of an abandoned village.
Sara stays with her patron, falls in love with the stable hand and produces more paintings.
Sara's painting is handed down in a family for 300 years and we join the story in New York in the 1950s. Marty de Groot, a successful lawyer owns the painting. One day he notices his painting has been replaced with a forgery and he is determined to find out who has violated his trust.
Ellie is a young Australian art restorer scraping by in New York while finishing her Art thesis. She paints the forgery thinking it is just for security reasons for the the owner.
Marty finds out Ellie did the forgery, befriends her and seduces her. Ellie does not realise Marty is the true owner of the forgery and allows herself to be seduced. Once Marty has done what he wants he abandons Ellie.
Ellie is so hurt and confused she flees to Europe.
Sydney 2000, Ellie is a professor of Art at Sydney University curating an exhibition of female Dutch painters. Both versions of The Edge of the Wood are about to arrive in Sydney as well as the other painting Sara did - The Funeral Procession.
Marty is an old man bringing his painting to the exhibition. He is truly sorry for what he did to Ellie. Ellie is truly sorry for forging Marty's painting. They agree that each has lived a life full of regrets.
The end of this tale ties everything up nicely. I was captivated until the end and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.