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The Lost Painting

The Lost Painting book cover
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Arts & Photography History Non-Fiction Mystery & Thriller Fiction

by Jonathan Harr

starstarstarstar_halfstar
3.71 (18.9K ratings)
calendar_today 2005
description 320 pages

The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr holds a well received rating of 3.71 out of 5, based on 18.9K reader ratings. First published in 2005. The book spans 320 pages.

About The Lost Painting

An Italian village on a hilltop near the Adriatic coast, a decaying palazzo facing the sea, and in the basement, cobwebbed and dusty, lit by a single bulb, an archive unknown to scholars. Here, a young graduate student from Rome, Francesca Cappelletti, makes a discovery that inspires a search for a work of art of incalculable value, a painting lost for almost two centuries.The artist was Caravaggio, a master of the Italian Baroque. He was a genius, a revolutionary painter, and a man beset by personal demons. Four hundred years ago, he drank and brawled in the taverns and streets of Rome, moving from one rooming house to another, constantly in and out of jail, all the while painting works of transcendent emotional and visual power. He rose from obscurity to fame and wealth, but success didn't alter his violent temperament. His rage finally led him to commit murder, forcing him to flee Rome a hunted man. He died young, alone, and under strange circumstances.Caravaggio scholars estimate that between sixty and eighty of his works are in existence today. Many others -- no one knows the precise number -- have been lost to time. Somewhere, surely, a masterpiece lies forgotten in a storeroom, or in a small parish church, or hanging above a fireplace, mistaken for a mere copy.Jonathan Harr embarks on a journey to discover the long-lost painting known as The Taking of Christ -- its mysterious fate and the circumstances of its disappearance have captivated Caravaggio devotees for years. After Francesca Cappelletti stumbles across a clue in that dusty archive, she tracks the painting across a continent and hundreds of years of history. But it is not until she meets Sergio Benedetti, an art restorer working in Ireland, that she finally manages to assemble all the pieces of the puzzle.

Detail Value
Author Jonathan Harr
Published 2005
Pages 320
Genres Arts & Photography, History, Non-Fiction, Mystery & Thriller, Fiction
Average Rating 3.71 / 5.00
Total Ratings 18,944

Reader Ratings & Analysis

Rating Overview

3.7
starstarstarstar_halfstar
18.9K ratings
With a rating of 3.71, The Lost Painting is rated below the global average of 4.17. Compared to its genre average of 4.01, it performs below the genre benchmark.

How It Compares

3.71
This Book
4.01
Mystery & Thriller Average
4.17
Global Average

Frequently Asked Questions

What genre is The Lost Painting?

The Lost Painting is categorized as Arts & Photography, History, Non-Fiction, Mystery & Thriller. Its primary genre classification is Mystery & Thriller.

Is The Lost Painting worth reading?

Based on 18.9K reader ratings, The Lost Painting has an average score of 3.71 out of 5.00, which is considered "Well Received."

How many pages is The Lost Painting?

The Lost Painting has 320 pages.

Who wrote The Lost Painting?

The Lost Painting was written by Jonathan Harr. It was first published in 2005.

What is the ISBN for The Lost Painting?

The ISBN-13 for The Lost Painting is 9780375759860.0.

Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026