Art history graduate student Cate Adamson struggles to place herself in the male-dominated world of art history. Her doctoral advisor, the misogynistic Professor Herat Jones, has not only turned down every dissertation topic she’s broached, but has given her scut work like cataloguing all the artworks at NYCU. While performing the latter chore, she discovers a painting hidden in a mildew-infested antique chest. The painting, with rich vivid colors, is not listed on the university’s list of known paintings. She attempts to discuss her finding with Jones, but he shuts her down yet again. She feels deeply that the painting is a Spanish Baroque masterpiece, so she risks her career, takes every cent she can scrape together, skips the Christmas holidays with her family, and takes the painting to Spain to be authenticated. When Cate discovers documents that call into question the newly-authenticated painting, she must juggle her ethics and her future career to resolve a sticky situation and potentially rewrite art history.
Author Linda Moore, a gallery owner and international traveler, fills Attribution with superb descriptions of Spain, its cities and museums, and seventeenth century art—as well as the often cut-throat world of graduate school. The ensuing intrigue is fast-paced, fun to read, hard to put down. Attribution takes on the sexism prevalent in the field. The characters are compelling and each undergoes a believable character arc.
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Attribution (She Writes Press, October 11, 2022) is available through:
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