100 chefs-d’œuvre méconnus des musées de France

The intention is worthy. The author wished to attract attention to major works which are not the property of a well-known museums and consequently do not have a great, well-deserved reputation. The inspiration is refined, as the author remembers the talks Sacha Guitry gave over the radio and which he listened to as a child, in which he described his «one hundred marvels». The choice is good: whether hanging in Grenoble, Douai, Valenciennes, Tourcoing or Albi, we see a portrait by Jean Clouet, an Apothéose by Simon Vouet, ruins of Dresden rendered by Bernardo Bellotto through a , a Café from 1914 by Alberto Magnelli. There are only two things missing in this pleasant promenade: a map of France that would allow the reader to locate the museums referred to and a mention that could satisfy all curious minds – how did these masterpieces reach their destination? Were they distributed by revolutionary authorities, seized by Napoleon, donated by great collectors? It will be up to the reader to finish the investigation…

• 100 chefs-d’œuvre méconnus des musées de France by Jean-Luc Chalumeau, éditions du Chêne, 2010, 240 p., 35 €.