Woman on Fire

“Stealing from someone who stole the art is not a crime but payback.”

This quote represents perhaps one of the trickiest aspects of Ownership Rights and Nazi-Looted Art. It corresponds with the age-old philosophical conundrum of whether stealing from a thief is still considered stealing. It is not a question with any discernible answer, but the novel takes that problem and attempts to show one possible solution from many.

“Even though she saw that degenerate art exhibit at thirteen years old with her mother, she now fully comprehends the sheer magnitude of the Nazis’ relentless mission to destroy the avant-garde, particularly painters.”

This quote represents the introduction to one of the novel’s primary themes, which is Ownership Rights and with Nazi-Looted Art. Jules’s statement extends to the public in that many are familiar with the notion of Nazi-looted art, but the extent to which the Nazis stole and sold artwork. The novel attempts to shed light on that extent through its use of characters paralleling real-life events.

“You see, Adam, every shoe I have ever created is to honor the memory of my mother, Anika. To never forget that walk.”

This quote ties in with the theme The Power and Influence of Art. Ellis’s shoes are described as works of art, and he uses the connection of wearing his mother’s shoes as a boy and the memory of her walking defiantly in the face of hatred and persecution, to drive the designs behind his shoes. His efforts have brought him wealth and fame.

“Rule of thumb: The closer you are to a story, the further away you will be from the truth.”

In this quote, Jules is extemporizing one of the unwritten rules of investigative journalism. She is worried about Dan’s involvement and close relationship to Ellis, whom she hasn’t yet met. In the novel, this rule—and breaking it—places strains on everyone involved because everyone gets very close to everyone else. Jules breaks the rule, as does Dan. Thus, it raises questions about The Ethics and Moral Responsibilities of Investigative Journalism.

“You are my favorite, and you know why? Because ‘instinct’ is not something that can be bought or sold or trained.”

This quote from Margaux de Laurent’s grandfather works to develop Margaux’s character. On one hand, it illustrates the close bond and shared interests she had with her grandfather. It illustrates that she possessed a natural affinity toward recognizing talented artists, and it also illustrates how her relationship to her grandfather, the only positive one she had with anyone, was not unconditional. She learned that she had to be good with art and art dealership to earn the respect and love she so craved.

“When it hurts, Margaux, I find that the right painting always makes things better. Remember this: Art never leaves, even when people do.”

Here, the antagonist, Margaux de Laurent hears an adage from her grandfather regarding The Power and Influence of Art. Moreover, this grants Margaux and the other person seeking Woman on Fire, Ellis, a similar experience, namely the healing power of art for a broken heart.

“She’s the type who will take any risk for a story. I’ve got to keep an eye on that.”

Dan is speaking about Jules, and while the reader has already witnessed examples of Jules’s ambition, the above quote develops her character in an important way. At the end of the paragraph in which the quote is found, Ellis comments that Jules reminds him of Dan. The juxtaposition of Dan and Jules is important, because Dan has already been established as the quintessential hardcore investigative journalist. By equating Jules with Dan, Jules is taking a step toward joining and then replacing Dan as the lead journalist.

“Like everything else in her life, she got away with it.”

An important aspect of the Margaux de Laurent, the antagonist’s character, is the idea that her villainy might possibly stem from childhood trauma. Her parents largely ignored her and were indifferent to her. She grew up wealthy, and the combination of uncaring parents and the power money buys created in her a belief of invincibility and egocentrism.

“Isn’t it enough that you survived? And now you want the painting too?”

This quote supports a loose critique of gallerists that surfaces from time to time in the novel, namely that they are only interested in the monetary aspects of The Power and Influence of Art. However, it also correlates to the theme of Ownership Rights and Nazi-Looted Art.

“This isn’t just a story—or a headline—it’s my life.”

Carice Van der Pol speaks to Jules and touches on one of the major themes in the novel, namely The Ethics and Moral Responsibilities of Investigative Journalism. Carice’s predicament of being a source of information about a violent and dangerous individual and the journalist’s responsibility to protect her identity is a primary thematic element for a story involving investigative journalism.

“We aren’t forgers—we view ourselves as historians.”

The renowned forger, Milo Wolff, uses a similar rhetorical argument to the Nazi art looters; namely, they argue that their criminality is justified in the end because it serves a greater good. As Milo Wolff points out, he is very knowledgeable about the specific techniques used by specific artists, and through his masterful forgeries, he and others like him can copy and preserve art that may have otherwise been lost.

“Me, Jules shouts inside her head. I am my team.”

As the main protagonist and an ambitious investigative journalist, Jules desires to be the driving force behind the investigation into Woman on Fire. Despite being a strong female character, one of her greatest obstacles is to learn to overcome her egocentric work ethic and learn to work with and trust others.

“Beautiful on the outside, but monstrously ugly, like Medusa. I wanted to capture that dichotomy.”

Adam’s creative insights grant the reader an apposite simile to imagine the paradoxical juxtaposition of Margaux’s outer appearance and her psychology/personality. Medusa was a gorgon from Greek mythology. She is described as a beautiful woman with snakes in place of hair, and sometimes her lower torso was also serpentine. She had the ability to turn anyone who looked into her eyes to stone.

“That he was forced to sell the painting during the war…which, in the world of restitution surrounding Nazi-looted art, means that no matter who finds the real painting, she has solid legal claim to the masterwork.”

Here is an example of the fine moral line that exists between legality and illegality when dealing with Nazi-looted art. The idea of who holds legal claim over the painting is a theme explored throughout the novel, and even though the protagonist assumes Ellis has primary claim because his mom was the model does not necessarily mean that Ellis really does have primary claim.

“The Helmuth Geisler I knew was a student of Expressionism, his teacher none other than Ernst Engel himself.”

This quote supports the theme of Ownership Rights and Nazi-Looted Art, attacking it at the very source. Adolf Hitler may have designated Expressionism as degenerate and designated for destruction, but people like the character Helmuth Geisler (or his real-life counterpart, Hildebrand Gurlitt) used their authority within the Nazi organization to steal specific pieces of art for their own purposes, arguing later that they “saved” the art from ultimate destruction. It is Carl Geisler’s main defense of his father.

“As with all survivors, in the end, the perpetrators still win, and it is the survivors who are left depleted and destroyed.”

This quote speaks directly about Lillian Dassel, but because of the use of nondescript pronouns, one can broaden the notion of the quote and extend it to other characters in the novel. Jules is a survivor of abandonment; Margaux is a survivor of parental indifference; Ellis is also a survivor of the Holocaust, though differently than Lillian; and Adam is a survivor of addiction, as are Ellis and Dan.

“I loved my father. And I know he loved me back…but he loved that painting more.”

The Power and Influence of Art is illustrated several ways in the novel. In the sense of the above quote, the painting of a loved one, their image, transcends distance and time. Arno Baum is able to hold onto the memory of his lover, Anika Baum (née Lang) through her depiction in Ernst Engel’s painting, making the painting a type of memento mori/amare.

“Whose claim is stronger—mine or his?”

The complex nature of ownership is examined in the novel. Regarding the quote, Margaux wonders if her claim is greater than Ellis’s. After all, her grandfather did rightfully and legally own the painting, because it was given to him by a friend to keep safe from the Nazis. Ellis’s mother may have been the model for the painting, but neither he nor his mother ever possessed the painting.

“She knew even then that something was inherently wrong with her, and yet her grandfather saw only the good.”

As the novel progresses, the word “psychopath” is attached to Margaux de Laurent. She even describes herself as such. The quote above makes the argument that the villainy in Margaux developed at a young age, perhaps independently of later experiences (e.g., Adam and Carice), which adds a layer to her sinister character, making her a complex character.

“Some truths are best remained buried.”

The above quote is advice given from Liz Roth to her daughter Jules. This piece of advice goes strongly against Jules’s core belief as an investigative journalist that the truth must be uncovered at all costs. However, as the search for Woman on Fire becomes increasingly dangerous, Jules questions the importance of the uncovering of truth. In the end, she does keep something to herself.

“The way I see it, there is a moral issue at stake here. If I stole from the art robbers—does that make me a villain or a hero?”

There are specific examples of Ownership Rights and Nazi-Looted Art addressed in the novel, and the premier question raised is the old problem of whether it is immoral to steal from thieves. Margaux takes things too far by murdering Geisler, but aside from that, she raises an important question surrounding the difficulties in reparations regarding art the Nazis confiscated.

“In a world without meaning, I will never forget that.”

Jules not only saves the painting, Woman on Fire, and with it, Ellis, by granting his dying wish, but she and her mother also show love to a Lillian and save her in a similar way. Lillian had witnessed little human affection in her life since the deaths of her family members in Auschwitz; however, when Jules and Liz donate a bench in Lillian’s honor, under her favorite tree, Lillian is able to feel and witness true kindness at the end of her life.

“My grandfather…save his name, my galleries—and I will give you what you want.”

Although Margaux demonstrates narcissistic traits along with strong egotistical ones, honoring her grandfather and his memory keeps Margaux grounded. Her love for him makes her more human and less villainous.