New York, NY – Author Michelle Young has unveiled a significant historical revelation from her recently released book, "The Art Spy," detailing how French Resistance hero Rose Valland witnessed the destruction of approximately 500 priceless artworks, including pieces by Picasso and Dalí, by Nazi forces in 1943. Young shared this "biggest scoop" in an article for Graydon Carter's digital weekly, Air Mail, titled "The Spy Who Came in From the Burning Picassos."
The article, published on August 3, 2025, describes the "incendiary moment" in the summer of 1943 when Valland observed Nazis knifing, stomping on, and burning paintings by renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, and André Masson in the courtyard of the Jeu de Paume in Paris. This previously unhighlighted event forms a core part of Young's narrative.
Michelle Young's book, "The Art Spy: The Extraordinary Untold Tale of WWII Resistance Hero Rose Valland," released in May 2025, sheds new light on Valland's crucial role. Valland, a curator with the Musées Nationaux, infiltrated the Nazis’ Paris-looting headquarters, the Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg (E.R.R.), where she secretly documented their extensive art theft operations. Her meticulous records were instrumental in post-war restitution efforts.
Air Mail, co-founded by former Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter, serves as a digital weekly newsletter for a global, affluent audience, known for its in-depth cultural and international reporting. Young's decision to publish this revelation in Air Mail underscores the publication's reach and journalistic standing. The article highlights Valland's unwavering courage and dedication to preserving cultural heritage amidst extreme danger.
The detailed account of the burning of these masterpieces adds a harrowing chapter to the history of Nazi art looting and the Resistance's efforts to counter it. Young's extensive research, including access to previously undiscovered documents, aims to elevate Valland's story and ensure her contributions are fully recognized. The "burning Picassos" incident serves as a stark reminder of the cultural destruction attempted during World War II.