Mona Lisa in Camelot : How Jacqueline Kennedy and Da Vinci's Masterpiece Charmed and Captivated a Nation

In December 1962, Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa set sail from Paris to New York for what was arguably the riskiest art exhibition ever mounted. The fragile icon traveled like a head of state, with armed guards and military surveillance, in a temperature-controlled vault. Masterminding the entire show was First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who tirelessly campaigned to persuade National Gallery Director John Walker, French President Charles de Gaulle, and her own husband to debut the legendary smile here. For 88 charmed days, “Lisa Fever” swept the nation as nearly two million Americans attended exhibits in Washington, D.C. and New York. It was the greatest outpouring of appreciation for a single work of art in American history. And as only Jacqueline Kennedy could do, she infused America’s first museum blockbuster show with a unique sense of pageantry, igniting a national love affair with the arts. Gathering rare archival documents and interviews, acclaimed biographer Margaret Leslie Davis has woven a tantalizing saga, filled with international intrigue and the irresistible charm of Camelot and its queen. The acclaimed biographer tells the charming story of the First Lady’s mission to bring the Mona Lisa to America in this “little gem of a book” (Good Morning America). In December 1962, Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa set sail from Paris to New York for what was arguably the riskiest art exhibition ever mounted. The fragile icon traveled like a head of state, with armed guards and military surveillance, in a temperature-controlled vault. Masterminding the entire show was First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who tirelessly campaigned to persuade National Gallery Director John Walker, French President Charles de Gaulle, and her own husband to debut the legendary smile here. “Lisa Fever” swept the nation as nearly two million Americans attended exhibits in Washington, D.C. and New York. It was the greatest outpouring of appreciation for a single work of art in American history. And as only Jacqueline Kennedy could do, she infused America’s first museum blockbuster show with a unique sense of pageantry, igniting a national love affair with the arts. In 1962, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Tirelessly Campaigned To Debut Da Vinci's Mona Lisa In New York. And As Only Jacqueline Kennedy Could Do, She Infused America's First Museum Blockbuster Show With A Unique Sense Of Pageantry, Igniting A National Love Affair With The Arts. The Art Enthusiasts -- A Whispered Promise -- An Unexpected Request -- Bombshell In The Louvre -- La Joconde Must Not Leave! -- A Chat With The Mona Lisa -- The Queenly Voyage -- The Director's Inspection -- An Evening To Remember -- Let Them See A Little Rembrandt, Too -- Manhattan Falls In Love -- The City Of Light Beckons -- Epilogue: Final Bows. Margaret Leslie Davis. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 259-262) And Index. As featured in Vanity Fair, ?this little gem" is a ?terrific, fascinating story" (Good Morning America) that will leave ?Jackie lovers...thrilled" (Kirkus Reviews). The fascinating, untold story of an 88-day visit that forever changed America, and the unofficial ambassador behind it