The Night Portrait by Laura Morelli

THE NIGHT PORTRAIT is set in a dual timeline ranging from 1492, Milan, to Munich during WWII.

We meet Cecilia Gallerani who is the woman in Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous portrait Lady with An Ermine. We follow her life as the mistress of Ludovico il Moro. It isn’t a life I would have wanted to live.

We then meet American soldiers who are helping the Monuments Men retrieve stolen paintings and Edith Becker a German art expert ordered by the Reich to find the most valuable paintings that were hidden by families that were forced to evacuate.

These stolen paintings were to become part of a private collection of German officers.

Edith wanted to protect the art at all costs, but she also had to protect herself.

This book is an extremely well written history lesson and interesting to me because of the art as well as WWII.

Ms. Morelli’s marvelous research and telling of the events in both timelines had me looking up more information on Leonardo Da Vinci, the German officers, the Monuments Men, and Cecilia Gallerani.

Ms. Morelli’s writing style and descriptions brought the characters and situations to life.

Historical fiction fans and art connoisseurs will not want to miss this book.

THE NIGHT PORTRAIT is superb and a work of art in itself.

It is a beautiful tribute to artists of the world and to those who fought to preserve it.

You will be shedding tears of joy as well as sadness as you read this phenomenal book. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.