Paul Saint Bris's Debut Novel Imagines a Kitsch Restoration of the Mona Lisa
Paul Saint Bris's first novel, "L'alleggerimento delle vernici" (translated by Giuseppe Giovanni Allegri, Barta 2026), presents a fictional scenario where the new director of the Louvre commissions a sensational restoration of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. The agency hired for this task is named CAMP, an acronym for Culture, Art, Média, Patrimoine. The novel is described as a lighthearted mystery that consciously embraces kitsch and artifice, blending entertainment with depth. The work is noted for its playful approach to art restoration and institutional critique.
Key facts
- Paul Saint Bris is the author of the debut novel "L'alleggerimento delle vernici".
- The novel is translated by Giuseppe Giovanni Allegri and published by Barta in 2026.
- The story involves the new director of the Louvre commissioning a restoration of the Mona Lisa.
- The agency hired for the restoration is called CAMP (Culture, Art, Média, Patrimoine).
- The novel is described as a mystery that treats its genre lightly while being self-consciously artificial and kitsch.
- The work aims to be both entertaining and profound.
- Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa is the artwork at the center of the plot.
- The novel was reviewed on doppiozero.com on March 6, 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Paul Saint Bris
- Leonardo da Vinci
Institutions
- Louvre
- Barta
- doppiozero
Locations
- Paris
- France
Sources
- Doppiozero —
- Doppiozero —