by Lee Lamond
Just take it slow, Austin, he thought to himself. He knew full well that he could be successful, but only if everyone was on his side. He looked around the apartment and prayed for a second that his wife’s death had been a dream and that surely she would be there. She wasn’t, and he was very alone.
Saturday afternoon brought a delivery from DHL, of the items that Austin had shipped ahead. Austin spent the weekend trying to bring order to his temporary home and walking the streets of Paris. May was a wonderful time to be in Paris. It was a city of neighborhoods, and each presented a different perspective. Even though he had been there many times, there was so much to take in; but there would be time to absorb it all.
Saturday evening brought an early night for Austin. It had been a long day, and through sleep he hoped for a new perspective in the morning.
On Sunday, Austin resumed his reacquaintance with the city. Standing on the Pont de la Concorde bridge, he looked down onto the River Seine. A well-lit riverboat full of tourists passed under the bridge, traveling with the current. Walking along the river, he soon saw the magnificent Notre-Dame Cathedral, a classic building that symbolized the heart and history of the city. Dinner was in a local café on the Île Saint-Louis. A good meal can be had anywhere, but a good meal packaged in the ambiance of Paris is always special. Sitting and sipping his wine, he reflected on the meeting he would attend with Badeau tomorrow. Austin had learned by traveling the world that something important to an American, especially one like Susan, might not match the values of someone in Europe. He had to be on his best behavior so that the pushy arrogance the French expected from Americans was not obvious. At the meeting, he and Badeau would get to know one another and explore areas where Austin might concentrate his activities. If Austin could do all that he wanted to do, he would be a busy man. If he found that he was a nuisance, he might be going home early.
Walking into the executive offices at the Louvre the next morning, Austin entered a very professional world. The receptionist was aware of his appointment and offered him coffee, which was welcome. Within a few minutes Madeline arrived at the receptionist’s desk with a big smile, which reinforced Austin’s first impression.
“Good morning, Monsieur Clay. I see you look well rested. I trust that your apartment is satisfactory.”
“Oh, yes,” replied Austin. “It’s excellent, and again I want to thank you for your help.” Austin couldn’t help but study Madeline briefly. For a middle-aged woman, she had maintained her youthful side, and her genuine smile was refreshing.
“We have a slight change in our plans this morning,” said Madeline with a smile.
“Oh,” replied Austin, unsure of what to expect.
“I had arranged a meeting with Claude Badeau, my boss and the director who handles most of our Renaissance paintings. He is available and will joint us later. However, I learned early this morning that the managing director, Andre Vassar, is available and would like very much to meet with you. He was aware of your wife’s activities and has commented on his respect for her. Follow me, please.”
Austin always appreciated the opportunity to meet the top guy in any venture he was involved with, but he always had a plan or objective. He was not prepared to discuss in detail any of his current plans and did not want to look foolish.
“I trust that I will not have to answer any big questions about some of the things you and I have talked about,” said Austin as he and Madeline navigated the hallways.
“Monsieur Clay, there are two things in my mind … and perhaps a third that might be behind this meeting. First, as I mentioned, your wife had a reputation here at the Louvre for being unselfish with her work for art, and that was appreciated. Your wife fit the profile of the type of person that the Louvre needs. I suspect that Andre wants to give his condolences. Second, outside funding is more important than ever. Andre Vassar is a very nice person and spends a great deal of time on the little things that make this place work—and included in his efforts is fund-raising, so watch your wallet,” Madeline said with a smile. “And third, I am sure he has a genuine interest in your plans and wants to learn what he can. I have discussed your plans on two occasions with Monsieur Vassar, and he is very open to helping in any way possible.”
As they entered Andre Vassar’s office, they were greeted by his secretary. She took little time in escorting them to meet Vassar, who rose from his red leather chair and extended his hand toward Clay. Vassar had a big smile that appeared to be genuine.
“Monsieur Clay, it is so good to see you again.”
“Andre,” said Austin, “I am very glad to be here.”
Austin took a few seconds to size up his host. He had met Vassar in the past during some social engagements at the Louvre, but now he would be dealing with him on a different level, one that would go well beyond small talk. Vassar had the look of an executive administrator, and perhaps that was good, since Austin was sure that running the Louvre was a big job. But Vassar was more than a figurehead, and Austin perceived that he was a man who knew his business and was effective in what he did.
“Monsieur Clay,” said Vassar, “please have a seat. When I learned that you would be at the Louvre today, I elected to push back my departure for Geneva to at least say hello. I am sure we will have time to talk in more detail later. First let me say how sorry I was to hear of your wife’s passing. She was a friend of the art world and certainly a friend of the Louvre.”
“Thank you, sir,” replied Austin. “She loved the time she dedicated to art and felt very much at home here and with your staff. In her small way, she tried to help in any way that she could.”
Vassar’s secretary brought in coffee in a silver pot and served it in what might have been antique china. Austin took the interruption to look around Vassar’s office. Being the managing director of the Louvre had its advantages. A mixture of paintings and sculpture was everywhere. It was a diverse collection of modern, Renaissance, Russian, and Chinese art. One interested in art might spend an afternoon just looking around Vassar’s office.
“Monsieur Clay, I must say that on more than one occasion I have dreamed of hiring people like your wife to help raise money and supply guidance on how we could grow. The art world is under a funding attack these days. Governments are finding it hard to support the arts the way they should, and private money is getting tighter. There is only so much we can get from ticket sales.”
Austin sat in his chair, sipping his coffee and pondering what Vassar had just said. He had been in the Louvre only a few minutes, and he felt like he might not be allowed out of Vassar’s office if he did not make a contribution. He was sure that it was not that bad, but his guard was up. Austin could certainly afford to make a contribution, but if the plan he had in mind should work, then any contribution made by Austin Clay would be secondary.
Vassar continued, “Monsieur Clay, Madeline has told me of some of your plans and ideas, and I must say that you Americans are a bold group. I especially liked the idea about Pierre, the mouse. Your plan to recover particular examples of art is one that I am open to, but that may be a bigger challenge, especially with the money problems I mentioned.
Austin said, “Monsieur Vassar, it may be too early to discuss all of the things that we have been thinking about. The Pierre the Museum Mouse project is something that I think you could complete here without much of my help. It was the intention of my wife that the Louvre benefit from the sale or royalties of the products she had conceived, and I know the plan was to increase small children’s interest in art, around the world. I can turn over her files to whomever you propose if you feel it is a good idea. In her own bold way, to use your words, she had a vision that Pierre would become both a mascot for the Louvre and the centerpiece for the museum’s promotional activities. Whether or not that makes sense is up to you. My real reason for being here is what my wife called Project Rescue. My wife and I believed strongly in preserving as much art as possible. We had not worked out all of the details and still had
many facts to gather together, which is an important part of my purpose here in France. I agree that money is an issue these days, and what we are currently thinking about will certainly require money. I know that if Susan were still alive, she would have been able to get the money, and I pity anyone that would say no. I don’t have the skills that she had, but over the years I have developed a lot of contacts who do have money, and I have learned how to approach these people. Perhaps it might be possible to package the results of our efforts in a way that will allow any proposed project to pay for itself. I don’t believe that the project will require as much money as some might think. This should be a worldwide effort, and there is still a lot of money in the world. The trick is to allow the contributors to attach themselves to something tangible. If we, for example, could get perhaps one or two million dollars from companies such as Siemens, General Electric, Microsoft, and Total here in France, we should be able to raise fifty million quickly. My own company might make a generous contribution once we established the proper tax status in the United States. What my wife had planned was a foundation through which the effort could be managed. The foundation would not take ownership of the art, but it might be able to identify the candidate pieces and fund any restoration needed. Selecting the candidate pieces would be based on the current ownership, the funds available with the current ownership, the significance of the art, a long-term pledge by the owner that the art would be available to the public, and many other criteria.”
“Monsieur Clay, I am a little confused. What collection of art do you believe is under a threat?” said Vassar.
“Our interest is primarily concerning paintings and, more specifically, Renaissance art, but I would not limit the effort to any specific area. I don’t want to disclose too many details, because frankly I don’t have all of the answers at this time. What I need now is an opportunity to study the problem with those paintings currently in the possession of the Church—or that might be owned by smaller museums or by people who do not have the resources to preserve them. An old engineering professor of mine once said that a problem well stated is half solved. I am still trying to understand the problem like my wife did, and to understand some of the issues that must be addressed. I want to spend some time learning about the European art environment and learning about the resources at the Louvre. It may take several weeks to determine if this whole plan makes any sense. My fear is that the project may be just too big and the politics too strong. We may have to scale back our objectives. We’ll have to wait and see. What is clear is that this project will require a champion. I will be very happy if we can establish a resource that can make even a small amount of progress, which may be better than no progress at all.”
Vassar asked, “Monsieur Clay, why have you come to us? We are certainly aware of your wife’s connection, but shouldn’t you be addressing this question with the Uffizi in Florence, or the Prado in Madrid?
“As I said, Monsieur Vassar, the art that I am the most concerned about currently resides in churches and basements all over Europe. Museums and private collectors protect their collections, but my wife believed that there is a significant amount of art residing in the churches of Europe, for example, that in her opinion is at risk. It is well known that church attendance in Europe is in decline, and so is their cash flow. I think this has caught the Church by surprise. Although the Church claims to have an interest in protecting church art, the project may be too big and perhaps too expensive. If we can establish a European foundation without political, corporate, or private bias, working with the Church may prove to be an easier task. I am not a true expert on this topic, but it appears that the problem may be largest in France, and it is for that reason I would like to ask for your aid. Of all the museums, I believe that the Louvre is largest—but more importantly, the most influential. Eventually an agreement among many of the leading museums of Europe may be required and beneficial.”
“Monsieur Clay, we have been very fortunate in France in that our culture appreciates the value of good art and much of the existing art is being well cared for. What you may not know is that the Louvre has a collection that far exceeds our ability to share with the public. Even if our warehouses are full, however, we are still looking for important pieces to add to the collection. Please understand me when I say important pieces. Not every painter was a good painter and not every painting deserves to be preserved or protected just because it is old. When you talk about an inventory that resides within the Church, I hope you understand that many of the paintings are of historical church figures that commissioned their own portraits using church money to promote their own prestige. From a historical perspective these paintings may be interesting, but as pieces of art, many are weak. Just be careful to understand the difference between what the art community believes is art and what may be just an old painting. I sense you have some concerns about the attitude of the Church, and if you don’t, I believe you should. We have many contacts in the Church, and at times they are clear in wanting to protect their holdings. It is interesting to hear you talk of the collapse in church attendance and the corresponding financial support of the people. It is true. I sense that the protection of art is one of the last items on their list. The loss in church attendance has been so large and so quick that some have suggested that in a few more years, the role of the Church in French culture will be difficult to see. I must compliment you, Monsieur Clay, for trying to be a catalyst in this effort, and I suspect the threat you have defined is very real. I also believe that when a program is put in place, it may be different than you might suspect. Monsieur Clay, are you familiar with the Caisse Nationale des Monuments Historiques?”
Austin Clay did not welcome a quiz and had to answer no.
“Monsieur Clay, we French, in an effort to ensure religious freedom, have added to the confusion. In 1905 we officially separated ourselves from the Catholic Church. The logical approach would be to let the Church have ownership of its churches. The thinking of the time was that any church built before 1905 would become the property of the state, and churches built after 1905 would be the property of the Church. As a result, churches such as Notre-Dame actually belong to the state. It all goes back to some socialist thing after the revolution, and it is difficult for some in France to understand, so I don’t expect you to understand it”
This was the first thing Austin had heard of that might become an obstacle. He was troubled by his own surprise and tried to not let it show.
“I can see, by your reaction,” continued Vassar, “that you find this a little strange and perhaps not what you expected, but it is just the way it is. It results in a confused situation, especially when you ask what actually belongs to the state. Does it include paintings or interior sculptures? For now, let’s not be concerned about the details. We know people within the Caisse Nationale des Monuments Historiques, and I suspect that they would be interested in some of your ideas. And please understand that today’s Church is not without a significant art inventory, and although they might be slow to admit it, they have a strong need for support like yours. The good news, Monsieur Clay, is that our office has the contacts and the resources to help you on your project. Madeline, would you see if Claude Badeau is available?” said Vassar.
Madeline rose and left the office to use the secretary’s phone.
Vassar said, “Monsieur Clay, I don’t recall if you have met Monsieur Badeau, but he has responsibility for our Renaissance paintings and will be a good contact for you. He is a good man and one you can trust. I have already discussed your project with him, and we may borrow some of his resources to help you. Madeline works for him, and I am sure that he will be very interested in supporting your project.”
Within a few minutes, Badeau entered the room and approached Austin with an outstretched hand. “Monsieur Clay, good morning. It has been a while since we last met. It is good to see you, and I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Your wife was such a source of guidance and encouragement. She was
a true pleasure. I have had the good fortune to talk to your wife on many occasions, and she had some excellent ideas. Madeline tells me that you have retired and hope to continue some of her projects.”
“No, I am afraid retirement is a far-off concept for me, but I have decided to take some time off to explore a few things and maybe have some fun. I must first thank you for the help that Madeline has provided. She has been outstanding, and I hope I will be able to ask her for more assistance when I need it.”
“Monsieur Clay, we welcome your visit,” said Badeau. “It brings some new thinking to problems that we know are out there. Madeline is a key person on my staff, and she has mentioned your objectives, and your project deserves a serious effort. Andre and I have discussed your project, and I think we are in agreement. I have instructed Madeline to keep track of your progress and assign herself whatever time is required for an initial appraisal of the size, costs, and future requirements.”
Austin looked at Madeline for confirmation. There was a slight smile on her face that told Austin what he needed to know.
Badeau did not have the polish that Vassar possessed. He might have matured to be an expert on art, but he looked like a disheveled shopkeeper and not a museum executive. Although his words implied full support, Austin wondered if they were genuine.