When I worked in the publishing sector I became very much involved in the world of fine art and antiques. It was a delightful way in which to earn a living. Much of my time would be spent in art galleries and exhibitions in the UK, Italy, France and the USA. Subsequently I accumulated a good understanding of what made the market tick not just nationally but internationally.
I formed my own company, which revolved around the same business but restricted to a much smaller target audience. I eventually sold this out and began to think about academic studies to bolster my understanding of the cultural world. In the midst of this, the art market was falling prey to trends and a huge amount of fakes and dubious provenances, particularly in the Russian sector.
I made a small joint investment with a colleague of mine, in a Russian painting located in a provincial auction house. We hit the jackpot. It sold at a Sotheby’s Russian art auction for a world record price. That began the germs of a writing idea based on the life of the artist concerned.
The painter wasn’t Brodsky, that’s an invention of sorts, part true part fiction, but the story of his death in a concentration camp is not. The geographic locations are true and so is the presence of the Russian underworld. The artist had a relative who until a few years ago was alive in Paris. He had other paintings by the artist but refused to ever sell them.
I hope in some small way that I have contributed to an understanding and to the memory of all those who died in such awful circumstances.
The Brodsky Affair is Free to Read on Kindle Unlimited
