Letters to Camondo

Edmund, De Waal

£14.99

Count Moïse de Camondo lived a few doors away from Edmund de Waal’s forbears, the Ephrussi, first encountered in his bestselling memoir ‘The Hare with Amber Eyes’. Like the Ephrussi, the Camondos were part of Belle Époque high society. They were also targets of ugly anti-semitism. Camondo created a spectacular house and filled it with the greatest private collection of French eighteenth-century art for his son to inherit. But when Nissim was killed in the First World War, it became a memorial and, on the Count’s death, was bequeathed to France. The Musée Nissim de Camondo has remained unchanged since 1936. Edmund de Waal has explored this beautiful palace; the lavish rooms, exquisite objects and detailed archives. In a haunting series of letters, he writes to the Count, and gets to know the boy who journeyed from Constantinople and became a model French citizen, before all that was gained was torn away.

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Publish Date: 22/04/2021

Description

‘*A GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR 2021*

‘Consistently illuminating
considered, compassionate and appreciativeThis book is a wonderful tribute to a family and to an idea’ Guardian

63 rue de Monceau, Paris

Dear friend,
As you may have guessed by now, I am not in your house by accident. I know your street rather well.

Count Moïse de Camondo lived a few doors away from Edmund de Waal’s forebears, the Ephrussi, first encountered in his bestselling memoir The Hare with Amber Eyes. Like the Ephrussi, the Camondos were part of belle époque high society. They were also targets of anti-semitism.

Camondo created a spectacular house and filled it with the greatest private collection of French eighteenth-century art for his son to inherit. But when Nissim was killed in the First World War, it became a memorial and, on the Count’s death, was bequeathed to France.

The Musée Nissim de Camondo has remained unchanged since 1936. Edmund de Waal explores the lavish rooms and detailed archives and uncovers new layers to the family story. In a haunting series of letters addressed to the Count, he tells us what happened next.

‘Letters to Camondo immerses you in another agede Waal creates a dazzling picture of what it means to live graciously’ Financial Times

Additional information

Weight 459 g
Dimensions 207 × 144 × 23 mm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Hardback

Pages

182

Language

English

Edition
Dewey

707.5 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K