A Parisian Treasure Trove...

It is the kind of story you would expect to find in a romance or mystery novel...

 

Parisian flat containing €2.1 million painting lay untouched for 70 years

For 70 years the Parisian apartment had been left uninhabited, under lock and key, the rent faithfully paid but no hint of what was inside. 

 

 

Apparently the renter of the apartment left the South of France right before WWII... to never return... but continued to pay the rent for all these years.

What makes this story even more interesting is the mysterious painting found among the estate belongings of a beautiful woman in a pink muslin gown.  As the story progresses it is discovered that the muse in the painting is the grandmother of the apartment renter.  The woman was Marthe de Florian, a beautiful French actress and demimondaine, who had captured the fancy of more than a few admirers, and some very well known.  Through notes and documentations it was verified that the painting was created by Italian artist Boldini when she was 24 years of age.  He too was apparently smitten by her beauty and favors.

 

 What is amazing is that this apartment was left undisturbed for over 70 years... 

Even though there appears to be very little information available about the beautiful actress or her granddaughter... I think there is much more to this story that will be continued...