lördag, augusti 18, 2007

Ernst Brunner: Youngster on Gold


The Swedish author Ernst Brunner (unfortunately I could not find any information in English about Ernst Brunner though his books have been translated into other languages) recently had a new book published: 'Youngster on Gold' (my own, literal translation of Yngling på guld).

This is the Swedish title on a painting by Rembrandt van Rijn - a self portrait.
This painting is one of many works by Rembrandt we have been able to see when visiting The National Musuem of Fine Arts in Stockholm.

This book tells the story of how this piece of art and two other famous paintings were stolen from the museum in 2000. The story told in this book is in other words built on facts.

Three armed robbers ran in to the musuem a couple of days before Christmas that year, stole this painting and two paintings by Auguste Renoir.
They fled in a boat and they also used different kinds of methods to delay the police when the latter in turn started pursuing the thiefs.
It took the police a couple of months to detect and apprehend the perpetrators.
It would last five years before the painting by Rembrandt was found and brought back to the museum.
Brunner also tells the story of the persons behind this coup, some quite young men from the suburbs of Stockholm.

Brunner has earlier written historic novels using some fictional ideas of his own.
The two latest books by Brunner is one about the Swedish 18th Century poet Bellman ('Fukta din aska') and one about king Karl XII ('Carolus Rex').
Ernst Brunner in his library(?)




(Photo 'Yngling på guld' copied from: https://www.albertbonniersforlag.se/bocker/158281/yngling-pa-guld/)
(Photo Ernst Brunner in a/his library copied from: http://www.ullamontan.com/en/portraits_sw_authors/brunner_ernst//)

1 commentaires:

Unknown sa...

Dear Mr Bujrsell - I wonder if you can help? I work for the BBC World Service and I'm trying to find someone who can talk about the Dec 2000 robbery at the National Museum in Stockholm. I know Ernst Brunner has written a book about it - but I can't get ahold of the book in the UK, nor can I read Swedish, I'm afraid. Do you know if he mentions any eyewitnesses in the book, or other people involved, who might be prepared to be interviewed?

A long shot, I know, but I thought I'd ask anyway!
Best wishes