Merged
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Found at the Ufizzi Gallery in Florence, Italy, it represents the goddess of love and beauty on the island of Cyprus. Venus is standing in a giant scallop shell, and demurely covering herself with her long, blond hair. It was painted in 1485. The fact that she is completely naked was groundbreaking since art in the Middle Ages was typically based on Biblical themes. It was intended to be hung in a bedroom, and was not shown in public for its first fifty years.
Water Lilies Series by Claude Monet
Monet spent the last thirty years of his life obsessed with painting roughly 250 “Water Lilies,” which are on display in museums and private collections across the world. One can experience eight of these paintings laid side-by-side in two oval-shaped rooms at the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris. Monet planted and tended to the real-life water lilies in his Giverny (France) garden, and he imported several varieties from Egypt and South America. Today, his garden is open to the public.
View of Scheveningen Sands by Hendrick van Anthonissen
Painted circa 1641, it has been hanging at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, England for 150 years. It was never considered to be one the museum’s more interesting pieces since the characters were simply staring at a bleak expanse of empty beach—until a huge beached whale was revealed during its restoration. There is no reference to the whale in historical documents, but it is suspected that either a previous owner found the scene unappetizing, or an art dealer thought the painting would better sell without the dead animal. As explained by the curator, “In the past it would be very common to cut a painting or paint over it to fit aesthetic purposes.”
The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh
Painted in 1889, it portrays van Gogh’s view while at the asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (France) where he checked himself in after having a mental breakdown—although without the bars in the window. Recently, an art historian compared the scene to a re-creation of the night sky in June 1889. It was determined that the “morning star,” as Vincent described it in one of his 650 letters to his brother Theo, is actually the planet Venus. This painting hangs at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in Manhattan, New York.
The Scream by Edvard Munch
Munch created four versions in various mediums in the late 1800s/early 1900s. Supposed experts interpret it as representing the universal anxiety of modern man (whatever that means). One can be viewed at the National Gallery in Oslo, Norway and two others are at the Munch Museum in Oslo. Different versions have been involved in high-profile thefts—twice—but were later recovered. The white ghost face mask in the horror movie Scream is based on Munch’s character.
Christina’s World by Andrew Wyeth
Painted in 1948, it was inspired when Wyeth saw his neighbor, Anna Christina Olsen, dragging her body across a field due to her disease, Charcot-Marie Tooth (CMT), a degenerative muscle disorder that prevented her from walking. Wyeth once explained, “I wanted to do justice to her extraordinary conquest of life which most people would consider helpless.” The actual farmhouse, known as the Olsen House, is open to the public in Cushing, Maine. This painting is on permanent display at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in Manhattan, New York.
Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Renoir painted this beloved masterpiece in 1880-1881. It depicts a group of his real-life friends partying at Maison Fournaise, a restaurant, hotel and place to rent rowboats that still exists today. It is located just outside of Paris in Chatou, along the river Seine. The woman holding the dog is Renoir’s future wife. The painting can be viewed at The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C.
Nighthawks by Edward Hopper
Painted in 1942, it is at The Art Institute of Chicago. Debate continues as to whether the diner was real or imagined. Hopper’s only admission: the scene “was suggested by a restaurant on Greenwich Avenue (Manhattan, New York) where two streets meet.” Interestingly, in the painting there is no door shown that would allow one to enter or exit the diner, which could be interpreted as representing isolation and loneliness.
Science Referenced by Lake
The Periodic Table
In 1869, Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev created a table of the chemical elements arranged in order of atomic number so that elements with similar atomic structure appear in vertical columns. Gaps were left for yet to be discovered elements. The first scientific discovery of an element occurred around 1669, which was phosphorus. In 1869 there were 69 known elements; in 2019 there are 118 known elements.
The Scientific Method
Muslim scholars, between the 10th and 14th centuries, are attributed to being the greatest influencers behind the development of the scientific method. Today it consists of a series of steps which include: making an observation, formulating a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis through experimentation, accepting or modifying the hypothesis, and then developing a law and/or theory.
Alzheimer’s
An irreversible, progressive disease that slowly destroys memory, thinking and reasoning skills. For most people, symptoms first appear in their mid-60s. It is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who in 1906 identified changes in the brain tissue of a woman with symptoms of mental illness. It is suggested that more than 5.5 million Americans may have Alzheimer’s. As of the printing of this book, there is no cure.
Butyric Acid
A saturated fatty acid found in butter, raw milk, ghee, animal fats and plant oils. It is also formed in, and thus found in, our colon. Consuming butyric acid has been shown to aid in digestion, calm inflammation, and improve gastrointestinal health. It is a colorless liquid with a penetrating and unpleasant odor that smells like vomit.
Van de Graaff Generator
Looking like a big aluminum ball on a pedestal, it was invented by American physicist Robert J. Van de Graff around the 1930s. Generally used for scientific experiments, it is basically an electrostatic machine that can generate high voltages, and its purpose is to accelerate subatomic particles. It is also used for entertainment because when touching the sphere, one’s hair literally stands on end.
Chemtrail
The visible trail left in the sky by an aircraft. Scientists explain they are man-made clouds formed under ordinary conditions. Conspiracy theorists believe they consist of chemical or biological agents released by the government or a secret agency for purposes such as to modify the weather, population control via sterilization, and even mind control.
The Arrhenius Equation
Created by Swedish chemist Svante August Arrhenius in 1899, it describes the effect of temperature on the velocity of a chemical reaction, such as the souring of milk.
Johann Joachim Becher Theory About Phlogiston
A German alchemist, Becher developed his theory in 1667, which attempted to explain processes such as combustion and rusting. Becher postulated that a fire-like element called phlogiston was responsible for these types of reactions. Phlogiston remained the dominant theory until the 1770s, when it was proved to be incorrect.
Josef Mengele
Known as the “Angel of Death,” Mengele was a Nazi doctor during World War II at the Auschwitz concentration camp. He is known for conducting horrific medical experiments on the prisoners. After the war, he reportedly moved to Brazil, changed his identity, and died in 1979.
Acknowledgements
First, thank you to Cindy Uh, who took a chance on us, and is the agent of our dreams: brilliant, supportive, persistent, patient and, and above all, kind. We also have to thank Emily and everyone else at the Thompson Literary Agency. How did we get so lucky?
Next, thank you Georgia McBride, Emily, Tori, Amanda, Katherine and everyone at Month9Books. We can’t begin to explain how much this book has grown in your extraordinary hands. The incredible insight, the beautiful artwork, and the thousand other things we aren’t even aware of that made this book so special. Also, thank you to the Month9Books authors, a true family who provides so much encouragement and support.
Thank you to our first readers who helped us believe in this story: Tracey (how we wish you could have seen this book in print), Mo, Noah, Madison, Eli, Marcy, Grace and Sue.
To our friends who have experienced this crazy journey with us, including Don and Amy, Barb and Sue, Jim and Karn, Andy and Julie, Steve and Jennifer, Hayden and Tracey, Pete and Laura, Adriane and Jeff, Rob (a teacher and hero, aren’t they all), the Grand Lake community, and countless others. Also, thank you to our families who never stopped believing in us, especially to our moms who drove us to the library whenever we liked when we were young. You all are our courage when we’re shaken, our energy when we’re exhausted, and our inspiration when we can’t think of one more cohesive thought.
To Doris Reddick. Thank you for the wonderful, endless hours discussing oil painting techniques and introducing us to amazing paintings.
To Dr. Jill Adams, who widened our understanding of the magnificence of YA Literature, and became our friend and supporter. You gave us our first chance to share the “Merged” journey with so many teens and young adults. Also, thank you to the entire Metro State University English Department. Apparently, great professors can teach old dogs new tricks.
A sincere thanks to Gage and Finn who missed far too many walks when we were a world away lost in this story.
Believe. Dreams come true.
Jim and Stephanie Kroepfl
Photo by John F. Williams
Jim and Stephanie Kroepfl are a husband-and-wife team who write YA novels and stories of mystery and adventure from their cabin in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. You can find them at www.jimandstephbooks.com.
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