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Monuments Men and Women Foundation Releases First-Ever English Translation of Heroine’s Wartime Memoir
DALLAS, TX, Nov. 22, 2024 – Today, more than four decades after the passing of Monuments Woman Rose Valland (1898–1980), one of the great heroines of World War II, the Monuments Men and Women Foundation is proud to announce the release of the first-ever English translation of her 1961 memoir, The Art Front: The Defense of French Collections 1939-1945. “This is another important accomplishment in the Foundation’s ongoing mission to honor the legacy of these heroes,” said Anna Bottinelli, president of the Monuments Men and Women Foundation. “Translating this complex and deeply nuanced text took more than three years and required the expertise of the Foundation’s full team. We were committed to honoring Rose Valland’s voice and story. We couldn’t be prouder of the result.”
The quiet bravery of this warrior for the arts emerged during the German occupation of Paris. In late 1940, the Nazis commandeered the Jeu de Paume Museum and converted it into their looting headquarters for works of art being stolen from Jewish collectors and dealers. As a curator at the Jeu de Paume, Valland worked under the watchful eye of the Nazis, all the while risking her life to secretly gather information about their looting operation. Her meticulous records about the tens of thousands of stolen works would later prove instrumental in their recovery, making her one of the most significant figures in the preservation of our shared cultural heritage during World War II. Valland’s story reached a modern audience as a central figure in Robert M. Edsel’s #1 New York Times bestseller, The Monuments Men. Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett portrayed Rose Valland in the 2014 George Clooney-directed film adaptation.
During her lifetime, Valland tried to have her book translated into English; however the challenges of translation and distribution proved insurmountable…until now. The Monuments Men and Women Foundation team’s mastery of the subject, with the invaluable input of art historian and Rose Valland expert, Ophélie Jouan, not only resulted in a faithful translation of Rose Valland’s text, but also provided a modern perspective that enables readers to appreciate the full context of the risks she took and the triumphs that resulted.
Including more than one hundred photographs, Rose Valland’s original black-and-white illustrations have been replaced with full-color reproductions where available. The Art Front is a rich but also beautiful visual catalogue of some of the artworks that passed through the doors of the Jeu de Paume. New photos have been added, including images of Rose Valland being honored with the United States Medal of Freedom, a handwritten description of Valland by Monuments Man Lt. James Rorimer, and of course the never-before-seen photo on the book cover.
“This is more than a memoir,” stated Robert M. Edsel, Foundation founder and chairman and world-leading expert on the Monuments Men and Women. “It’s a firsthand account of courage, culture, and conviction during one of history’s darkest times. To read Valland’s story, in her own words, is profoundly moving.” In his foreword to The Art Front, Edsel includes unpublished quotes from the many Monuments Men who knew Rose Valland, documenting the appreciation of her fellow MFAA officers.
The Monuments Men and Women Foundation extends its gratitude to the generous donors who made this project possible: Christie’s, Platt Richmond PLLC, Treasures Estate Concierge Services, Inc., Ann Griffith Ash, Nancy Best, Laura Bley, Stephan Courseau, Robert M. Edsel, Alain Kahn, the Honorable Sara Kate Shock and Peggy Dean. It also wants to express its gratitude to the more than one hundred donors who, through donations large and small, contributed to the realization of this endeavor. Their support did more than just ensure Valland’s voice and vision could finally reach an English-speaking audience: it helped the Foundation realize Rose Valland’s long-held wish.
The Art Front is currently available for purchase on the Monuments Men and Women Foundation’s Online Store, and soon on Amazon.com. The National WWII Museum will be the first physical store to offer it at retail. For inquiries about bulk orders, please write to info@mmwf.org. The book is also available in a 1,000-copy slipcover limited edition. Each of these copies is hand numbered.
About Monuments Men and Women Foundation
The Monuments Men and Women Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to raising global awareness about the importance of respecting and preserving our shared cultural heritage. It is a recipient of the National Humanities Medal for its work honoring the historic achievements of the Monuments Men and Women and completing their mission to right the wrongs of the Nazi looting machine. The Monuments Men and Women Foundation works with veterans, their family members, and others to identify the objects and return them to their rightful owner. Using its super partes role, the Foundation acts on behalf of the art or cultural object in question, without favoritism, without an agenda. For more information, please visit www.mmwf.org.
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Shelby Landgraf, 979-877-9515
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