Page 29 - ARUBA TODAY

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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 28 June 2019
Missing treasure: Delacroix canvas rediscovered, now on sale

By CATHERINE GASCHKA Algiers in their Apartment,"
PARIS (AP) — It's been which was painted after in
hanging on people's walls 1833-34 after Delacroix visit-
for almost 170 years with- ed North Africa. That paint-
out drawing much atten- ing now lives in the Louvre.
tion, but a painting show- Art historian and Delacroix
ing a group of women has expert Virginie Cauchi-
turned out to be more than Fatiga investigated the
meets the eye. curious canvas at Mendes'
The most recent owner request. She analyzed the
of the picture, a Parisian technique and use of col-
woman, has found out ors, compared it with other
that what she has is a long- Delacroix paintings, then
forgotten painting by 19th used infrared and X-ray im-
century French Romantic ages to look deeper.
artist Eugene Delacroix. After more than a year of
"A woman walked into examination, her verdict:
the gallery with a painting She says with "absolute cer-
under her arm, telling me tainty" that the painting is
she'd just visited the Dela- a Delacroix work, a study
croix exhibit at the Lou- for "Women of Algiers." The
vre Museum ... and that study was sold at auction
she thought her painting in 1850 and hadn't been
shared some resemblance" In this photo taken on Friday, June 21, 2019 Philippe Mendes, owner of the Galerie Mendes speaks shown in public since.
during an interview for the presentation of Eugene Delacroix, oil painting "Women of Algiers in
with the artist's "Women of their Apartment" in Paris. She called it a discovery
Algiers in their Apartment," Associated Press "of prime importance, be-
said Philippe Mendes, di- cause it really is a gateway
rector of the Mendes Gal- So I said, let's clean the colors typical of Delacroix um seeking to buy it, shows into the artist's mind right at
lery in Paris. painting and let's see what really stood out and we a pale woman seated and the moment" he was work-
"I took a look at the paint- comes out of it," he told The knew we had to start doing an African slave stand- ing on "Women of Algiers."
ing, which was dirty and Associated Press in an inter- some real research." ing next to her, looking at "The colors are distinctive
with a very thick yellow var- view. The painting, now hanging the other woman over her of Delacroix's work, but it's
nish, but I felt it had Dela- "After we cleaned it, the in Mendes' gallery as he ne- shoulder. The same scene also about how they are
croix's very particular style. radiant and extraordinary gotiates with a U.S. muse- is captured in "Women of associated," she said. q

Britney Spears' conservatorship sues blogger for defamation

By ANDREW DALTON the blog and an email
Associated Press seeking comment from Elia
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The were not immediately re-
conservatorship that over- turned.
sees Britney Spears' per- The suit comes two weeks
sonal life and career sued after the conservatorship
the creator of a blog de- for similar reasons sought
voted to the pop superstar and received a five-year
Wednesday in an increas- restraining order against
ingly aggressive effort to Spears' former manager
push back against the so- Sam Lutfi. It prohibits him
called "Free Britney" move- from trying to undermine
ment, which alleges the the conservatorship by
singer is being controlled contacting members of
against her will. the Spears family or writing
The lawsuit filed in Los An- disparaging posts on social
geles alleges that Anthony media.
Elia, who runs the website A conservatorship, known
Absolute Britney, has falsely in some states as a guard-
claimed the court-ordered ianship, is normally reserved
conservatorship has ma- for those who are severely
nipulated Spears' Insta- debilitated. One was es-
gram account to make her tablished for Spears 11
appear more troubled and This Feb. 11, 2017 file photo shows Britney Spears at the Clive Davis and The Recording Academy years ago during her very
in need of help than she Pre-Grammy Gala in Beverly Hills, Calif. public meltdown, and has
actually is. Associated Press been kept in place ever
"It is time for the conspira- since. The arrangement
cy theories about Britney a key role in the "Free who serves as her conser- lies on the internet about has increasingly come un-
Spears' well-being and the Britney" phenomenon, a vator, and that she is sur- Britney, her conservatorship der attack from fans, who
mob #FreeBritney move- group of fans who say on reptitiously seeking help to and her team, including have grown especially loud
ment to stop," the lawsuit social media and in pub- free herself. that those around Britney about it in recent months.
states in its opening line. lic protests that the singer The suit alleges that Elia are harming her and not Spears has offered little
Elia's blog and its social me- is being controlled against "has made it his mission to acting in her best interests." public comment on the
dia accounts have played her will by her father Jaime, spread false and malicious A message sent through conservatorship. q