THE GALLERIST
James Devlin is a celebrated artist whose past is as blank as an empty canvas. When Jan Bilowski brings a painting, which was a gift to her dead sister, into Mark Lewis’s gallery, she tells him it was created by a seventeen-year-old boy called Charlie. Why then does the work look exactly like a James Devlin—painted a whole decade before the artist’s career began on the other side of the country?
I do love a mystery that involves a work of art, even when it is fictional. In THE GALLERIST, Michael Levitt writes the story about a newly discovered painting that closely resembles the abstract style of James Devlin, a renowned (and fictitious) Australian artist. This find leads to many questions about the painting and it’s uncanny similarity to Devlin’s other works, especially given the painting is dated more than a decade before Devlin’s arrival on the art scene.
The mystery element is what initially appealed to me but it didn’t take long to realise the ‘who’ is obvious. It’s the ‘how’ and ‘why’ that drives the story. My interest was maintained because the story poses a dilemma to Mark Lewis - art aficionado and gallery owner - the person who believes the newly unearthed painting is a work by Devlin. It’s not a straight-forward investigation given Lewis would potentially be seen to be ‘outing’ Devlin as some type of fraud. Yet what if he isn’t a fraud and there is a reasonable explanation? Lewis would be putting his own reputation and livelihood at risk pursuing any sort of inquiry, especially in the very small art world of Australia where he is minor player.
I am no expert, but Levitt seems to write with significant knowledge of Australian artists, and the book is peppered throughout with examples.
It did take me a while to get used to the writing. It’s measured and at times detached. There’s a formality that I felt obstructed my ability to jump into the story and simply go along for the ride. For me it was worth persisting until I got into the groove.
The conclusion to the mystery is clear-cut, yet the measures taken by characters to do what’s ‘best’ are a little murkier. I think this would make for a good book club conversation.
The book didn’t take me in the direction I expected, but I enjoyed the journey.
Book borrowed from my library. I love libraries!
Dr Michael Levitt MB BS, FRACS
Michael Levitt is a practising surgeon and health bureaucrat. He is also a sought-after public speaker who in 2003, was awarded the Centenary Medal (in Australia) for services to public education about colorectal cancer. Michael has been collecting art for many years, has been the invited speaker at the launch of art exhibitions and at the launch of books about art, and has written numerous articles about art and artworks for newspapers, magazines and art exhibition catalogues. An exhibition of selected works from his and his wife, Carolyn’s, personal collection was held at Ellenbrook Gallery in 2021.
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