Mona Lisa in Camelot: How Jacqueline Kennedy and Da Vinci's Masterpiece Charmed and Captivated a NationIn December 1962, Da Vinci's Mona Lisa set sail from Paris to New York for what was arguably the riskiest art exhibition ever mounted. The fragile icon traveled like a head of state, with armed guards and military surveillance, in a temperature-controlled vault. Masterminding the entire show was First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who tirelessly campaigned to persuade National Gallery Director John Walker, French President Charles de Gaulle, and her own husband to debut the legendary smile here. For 88 charmed days, “Lisa Fever” swept the nation as nearly two million Americans attended exhibits in Washington, D.C. and New York. It was the greatest outpouring of appreciation for a single work of art in American history. And as only Jacqueline Kennedy could do, she infused America's first museum blockbuster show with a unique sense of pageantry, igniting a national love affair with the arts. Gathering rare archival documents and interviews, acclaimed biographer Margaret Leslie Davis has woven a tantalizing saga, filled with international intrigue and the irresistible charm of Camelot and its queen. |
Contents
LA JOCONDE MUST NOT LEAVE | 89 |
A CHAT WITH THE MONA LISA | 105 |
THE QUEENLY VOYAGE | 121 |
AN EVENING TO REMEMBER | 151 |
LET THEM SEE A LITTLE REMBRANDT TOO | 175 |
MANHATTAN FALLS IN LOVE | 189 |
THE CITY OF LIGHT BECKONS | 203 |
FINAL BOWS | 219 |
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS | 233 |
259 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Alphand Ambassador American André Malraux arrived Arthur Schlesinger artist asked August Heckscher Baldridge Central Files Cézannes Cott curator December December 19 December 20 dinner Director Edward Folliard escort Exhibition Files Folder French Embassy French officials Gallery Archives Gallery of Art Gallery's guards guests Hervé Alphand House Social Files inside invited Jackie Jackie's Jacqueline Kennedy January JFKL John F John Walker Kennedy's Kennedy/Onassis Lady Le Figaro Letter Lisa's loan Loeser Louvre Madame Hours masterpiece Mellon Metropolitan Museum Minister Malraux Mona Lisa Mona Lisa Exhibition Museum of Art National Gallery never Nicole noted nuclear painting painting's Paris Paul Cézanne photographs picture planned portrait President Kennedy President's recalled reporters Research Files Rorimer Salinger Secret Service Self-Portrait with Donors smile SS France Subject Files television temperature tion told United unveiling Vault vie au Louvre visitors Washington Post White House White House Social wife wrote York