Imagine a dusty old scrapbook, tucked away for decades in a family home, suddenly revealing a treasure trove of World War II history. That’s precisely what happened when the personal collection of Roland Haupt, assistant to legendary photographers Lee Miller and Cecil Beaton, resurfaced.
His scrapbook, now acquired by the University of Oxford’s Bodleian Libraries, contains a trove of images, including Miller's iconic shot of herself bathing in Hitler's tub. Her son, Antony Penrose, perfectly summed up its defiant spirit: Miller was “sticking two fingers up at Hitler.” Because apparently, that's where we are now.
Miller and Beaton trusted Haupt implicitly, sending him their film from the war zones to be developed in London, then forwarded to magazines like Vogue. Dealer Michael Hoppen found it “surprising that Miller, knowing what she had in the can,” put so much faith in Haupt. He added that Haupt “has clearly been instrumental in showing us how extraordinarily brave this woman was.”
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Start Your News DetoxArt's Long Journey Home
Meanwhile, a collection of Frida Kahlo and other Mexican Modern artists from the Gelman Collection is finally set to return to Mexico in 2028. This follows a rather tense agreement after the artworks were loaned to Spain.
Mexican arts professionals had previously raised a collective eyebrow at vague plans to send 160 pieces to a new cultural center for an unspecified amount of time. Kahlo's works are considered national treasures, meaning they can only leave Mexico for temporary stints. Thankfully, the Fundación Santander, which manages the collection, has now put a clear timeline on their return, respecting Mexican law. Sometimes, the law actually works.
In other art world news, billionaire dealer David Nahmad and his family lost an 11-year legal battle over a Modigliani painting looted during WWII. This means a long-overdue victory for the heirs of the original Jewish owner, Oscar Stettiner. Justice, sometimes, just takes its sweet time.
The Art of the Imposter
Shifting gears to the art of deception, Steven Soderbergh’s new film, The Christophers, features an aging painter and a young art restorer with a rather ambitious plan: to forge the painter's works while posing as an assistant. Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly terrifying.
The New Yorker describes an unexpected bond forming between the would-be forger, Lori Butler (played by Michaela Coel), and the artist, Julian Sklar (played by Ian McKellen). Julian finds Lori to be “an artistic and intellectual near-equal” — a dangerous compliment for someone trying to rip you off.
She offers brutally honest critiques of his work, which he, surprisingly, enjoys. The film delves into whether Lori will ultimately use her considerable talent to find her own voice, rather than just imitating others. Because even a master forger has to wonder: what if she could be the real deal?
