A saga inspired by the incredible but true story of the iconic Klimt painting

A saga inspired by the incredible but true story of the iconic Klimt painting

Painted in Vienna in 1910, Gustav Klimt's 'Portrait of a Lady' was purchased by an anonymous collector in 1916, retouched by the master a year later, then stolen in 1997 before reappearing in the gardens of an Italian modern art museum in 2019.

No art experts, museum curators, or police investigators know the identity of the young woman in the painting, nor the mysteries that surround the turbulent history of her portrait. 

From the streets of Vienna in 1900 to Texas in the 1980s, and from Manhattan during the Great Depression to contemporary Italy, de Peretti imagines the destiny of this young woman as well as that of her descendants, and creates a masterful fresco that intertwines family secrets, disappearances, and thwarted loves.

Details

ISBN13: 9781787706118
Format: Paperback / softback
Number of Pages: 256
Edition:
Publication Date: 26 May 2026
Publisher: Europa Editions (UK) Ltd
Publication City, Country: London, United Kingdom
Dimensions (cm): 21(H)x13.5(L)
Weight (gm):

Author Biography

Camille de Peretti was born in Paris in 1980. Passionate about painting and literature, she has been writing since 2005 and is the author of eight novels. Hildegarde Serle graduated in French from Oxford University and then worked as an editor on magazines and newspapers before turning to translation. For Europa she has translated, among others, Christelle Dabos's The Mirror Visitor series, all of Valérie Perrin's novels, and Thomas Schlesser's Mona's Eyes (Barnes & Noble Book of the Year).

Reviews

“A remarkable mélange of mystery and art crime malfeasance.”   * Financial Times *
“A magnificent and unforgettable adventure." * Buzz Magazine *
“A masterful fresco where family secrets, dazzling successes, thwarted loves, disappearances, and resounding dramas intertwine.” * MademoiselleLit *
“Poetic and mesmerizing!” * Grazia *
“A masterful family saga with love, family secrets, drama, and betrayal. A story that takes the reader from Vienna to New York, via Italy, from 1910 to the 1980s.” * Le Parisien *
“Through this great adventure novel, Camille de Peretti masterfully traverses eras and cities and constructs a story full of fury and emotion.” * Femme Actuelle *