The Monuments Men: For the Preservation of Art
I first read this book while working in London. We passed it around the office and discussed firstly, how badly it was written, but secondly, how had we never heard this story before? We watch all kinds of WWII history on television and film, and no one has ever thought to bring this culturally important story to life, until now. Of course, it was George Clooney and his band of merry financiers that are making it happen. The Monuments Men opens in North America at the beginning of February (it’s European release was in January).
Writer (screenplay), director, and lead of the film George Clooney brings on a star studded cast including Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett and John Goodman. It is set to impress mainstream audiences with action and adventure while appealing to academics and art history buffs with it’s emphasis on the resurrection of culturally significant works – such as a Michelangelo hidden in a Belgian barn, and a Manet found in a salt mine.
Most of the characters tasked with saving Europe’s treasures were museum directors, curators, art historians and conservators, not trained army men. The National Gallery of Art, London recently published a press release about how hype around this film brought to light that two of their own were involved. Gallery archivist Alan Crookham revealed that Ellis Waterhouse, who worked for the gallery before the war and Cecil Gould, who joined the gallery after the war and later became the Deputy Director were both Monuments Men.
The Monuments Men Foundation has been set up to continue the work started during the war. They work to preserve the legacy and reestablish the standard set forth by these brave men and women. Their mission statement is:
“The Monuments Men Foundation honors the legacy of the men and women who served in the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives section, known as the “Monuments Men,” and their unprecedented and heroic work protecting and safeguarding civilization’s most important artistic and cultural treasures from armed conflict during World War II. Raising public awareness is essential to the Foundation’s mission and its completion of the objectives listed below.”
So, stay tuned! In the meantime, check out the book. Though not written in the most academic voice, it’s an easy winter read with lots of action and adventure!
