'The Flanders Panel'

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that the mystery novel 'The Flanders Panel' is set in the contemporary art world. The writer explains that the main protagonist in the book is an art restorer and amateur detective, determined to solve a murder that occurred centuries ago. The writer studies the book and maintains that the old truth about many mystery novels holds true in 'The Flanders Panel' as one of the more sympathetic and unlikely killers is in fact the source of all of the turmoil depicted in the novel. The writer concludes that 'The Flanders Panel' is a potboiler, a dark but ultimately escapist read, and no masterpiece, although it attempts to deal with the implications of masterworks of art in history.

From the Paper:

"Julia begins to read more and more about Arras, the circumstances that spawned the composition of the painting, and begins to feel as if the characters in the painting are familiar to her as her own friends in Madrid, Spain, where the mystery is set. However, the authorities at the Prado museum, which charged Julia to restore the work, seem uninterested in her finding beyond the word's significance to art, and they merely wish Julia to continue her restorative work on the same level of quality as always.
"Looking for further information and aid that cannot be provided by texts alone, Julia first turns to her old guardian, Cesar, a cultivated, gay, gin-sipping art dealer, who knows a great deal about art, but has very little inclination towards learning about chess."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Perez-Reverte, Arturo. The Flanders Panel. Harcourt Reprint, 2004.

More papers on 'The Flanders Panel':

• Analytical Essay # 57931 : "Daniel Defoe's "Moll Flanders"
• Analytical Essay # 32009 : "Moll Flanders - Metaphorical Analysis"
• Analytical Essay # 3935 : "James Baldwin's "The Fire Next Time."

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