In the fall of 1942 Torino is under attack. Stella Costa's mother sends her to live with relatives in a Tuscan village. Immediately she learns her aunt can barely stand the sight of her, but she doesn't know why. Something must have happened to bring her dislike on. However, Stella's focus soon changes to something else. It's almost impossible to imagine: three hundred masterpieces from the Uffizi Galleries including Botticelli's Primavera are hidden in the Tuscan villa. The villa, owned by an English family who have fled for their safety, is now under the care of Stella's uncle, the family's driver, and his family. They have moved into the villa and have buried and hidden the owners' valuables. When a curator from the Uffizi Galleries arrives with the artworks explaining they must be saved from the German onslaught, the family places them in what comes to be known as the "great room". They are to be guarded day and night, which is no small feat as two different sets of German troops requisition the villa. In addition, there is a large group of refugees who have sought shelter at the villa. Amongst them is Sandro, a remarkable young man with an extraordinary gift. One that he shares with Stella.
Based on a true story, THE KEEPER OF LOST ART BY Laura Morelli brings to readers the astounding story of the selfless acts of heroism of those who were just trying to survive during the darkest of times and at the same time trying to protect some of the most important works of art the world has ever known. It is during this bleak and uncertain time that Sandro and Stella form an indelible bond. Beautifully depicted is how Sandro shares his love of art with Stella and how in turn this changes her life.
Impeccably researched and skillfully told, the author brings readers insight into the cultural values of works of art and their impact on society. Seamlessly intertwined into the narrative is how paintings indirectly usher Stella into the next phase of her life.
THE KEEPER OF LOST ART is a remarkable and important book. Highly recommended.
During World War II, a girl makes an unbreakable connection with a boy sheltering in her family’s Tuscan villa, where the treasures of the Uffizi Galleries are hidden. A moving coming-of-age story about the power of art in wartime, based on true events.
As Allied bombs rain down on Torino in the autumn of 1942, Stella Costa’s mother sends her to safety with distant relatives in a Tuscan villa. There, Stella finds her family tasked with a great responsibility: hiding nearly 300 priceless masterpieces from Florence, including Botticelli’s famous Primavera.
With the arrival of German troops imminent, Stella finds herself a stranger in her family’s villa and she struggles to understand why her aunt doesn’t like her. She knows it has something to do with her parents—and the fact that her father, who is currently fighting at the front, has been largely absent from her life.
When a wave of refugees seeks shelter in the villa, Stella befriends Sandro, an orphaned boy with remarkable artistic talent. Amid the growing threats, Sandro and Stella take refuge in the villa’s “treasure room,” where the paintings are hidden. There, Botticelli’s masterpiece and other works of art become a solace, an inspiration, and the glue that bonds Stella and Sandro as the dangers grow.
A troop of German soldiers requisitions the villa and puts everyone to forced labor. Now, with the villa full of German soldiers, refugees, a secret guest, and hundreds of priceless treasures, no one knows who will emerge unscathed, and whether the paintings will be taken as spoils or become unintended casualties.
Inspired by the incredible true story of a single Tuscan villa used as a hiding place for the treasures of Florentine art during World War II, The Keeper of Lost Art takes readers on a breathtaking journey into one of the darkest chapters of Italy’s history, highlighting the incredible courage of everyday people to protect some of the most important works of art in western civilization.
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