On September 20, 1940, one of the most famous European art dealers disembarked in New York, one of hundreds of Jewish refugees fleeing Vichy France. Leaving behind his beloved Paris gallery, Paul Rosenberg had managed to save his family, but his paintings - modern masterpieces by Cezanne, Monet, Sisley and others - were not so fortunate. As he fled, dozens of works were seized by Nazi forces and the art dealer's own legacy eradicated.
Drawing on her grandfather's intimate correspondences with Picasso, Matisse, Braque and others, Sinclair takes us on a personal journey through the life of a legendary member of the Parisian art scene. Rosenberg's story is emblematic of millions of Jews, rich and poor, whose lives were indelibly altered in WWII. Sinclair's journey to reclaim her family history paints a picture of modern art on both sides of the Atlantic between the 1920s and 1950s, and reframes twentieth century art history.
Anne Sinclair is Paul Rosenberg's grand-daughter and France's best-known journalist. As host of current affairs show 7 sur 7, she has interviewed Bill Clinton, Mikhail Gorbachev and Madonna. Director of the French Huffington Post, Sinclair has written two best-selling books on politics. She was the model for Marianne, the national emblem of France.
