The Vanishing Velázquez

In "The Vanishing Velázquez," bestselling author Laura Cumming unravels the fascinating true story of a missing Velázquez portrait and the obsessed nineteenth-century bookseller, John Snare, who believed he had uncovered it. Snare's journey begins at a liquidation auction, where he discovers a striking painting of a young King Charles I, leading him to theorize that it could be the long-lost work of Velázquez, the esteemed court painter of Spain. This thrilling investigation explores themes of authenticity, the passion of artists and collectors, and the lengths one man will go to reclaim a masterpiece, all set against a backdrop of art history, class, and politics.