The Art Spy - Saving Art in France During World War II




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ClassGraphic During World War II the Nazis looted art and valuables from French museums and wealthy collectors. They took this art back to their homes in Germany and to German museums; a great deal of art was also hidden in caves and other locations. Rose Valland, a rural French woman who loved and studied art and then worked at the Jeu de Paume throughout World War II, heroically catalogued this art as it was being stolen and helped the Allies recover 60,000 works after the war ended. We will read a biography of her heroic actions during the war and learn about her uniqueness as a modern woman in 20th century France and in Nazi-controlled France. As we do so, we will trace the battles of World War II in France, learn about the Nazi military officers and civilians who perpetrated the thefts, view the works of art that were stolen, and learn about the families whose collections were stolen. We will use Michelle Young’s book The Art Spy: The Extraordinary Untold Tale of WWII Resistance Hero Rose Valland (Harper One, 2025).

Class Details

14 Session(s)
Weekly - Wed

Location
Wieboldt Hall

Instructor
Multiple

Tuition:  $0.00

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Schedule Information

Date(s) Class Days Times Location Instructor(s)
9/9/2026 - 12/9/2026 Weekly - Wed 09:45 AM - 11:45 AM Chicago, Wieboldt Hall  Map Evelyn Shaevel  ; Bill Lipsman