Lady with a Brooch: Violinist Eva Mudocci-A Biography & A Detective Story

A brooch. A violin. A genealogical mystery. An unfinished portrait.

Rima Shore's new biography begins with a simple question: who was the arresting, enigmatic woman portrayed in Edvard Munch's famous 1903 lithograph? From there, by twists and turns, the book chronicles the improbable life of violinist Eva Mudocci against the backdrops of Belle Epoque Paris and interwar London.

A striking figure on and off the stage, Mudocci inspired portraits by celebrated artists - not only Munch (famed painter of The Scream), but also Henri Matisse. Decades later, she was the subject of psychedelic Andy Warhol portraits. Readers will gain new insight into several iconic Mudocci portraits. Munch Museum senior curator Magne Bruteig has said about the book, "As a Munch expert, there is so much here that I did not know!"

Eva Mudocci won renown across Europe in the early decades of the 20th century performing on the priceless Golden Emiliani Stradivarius, accompanied by pianist Bella Edwards. Then, as two world wars reshaped Europe's cultural landscape, Mudocci was forgotten. Until now!

In her foreword, Munch scholar and collector Sarah Epstein writes, "Rima Shore, a dedicated scholar, traveled widely over six years, following every lead in order to trace Eva and Bella's lives, careers, families, and friends, as well as the relationship of these two women."

As the research progressed, new questions emerged. How did the violinist - born Evangeline Hope Muddock and known in her youth by the stage name Miss Rose Lynton - transform into the enigmatic Madame Eva Mudocci? How did a middle-class teen from Brixton who was raised by a single mother come to play on a world famous Stradivarius? Perhaps most compelling is this question: Who was the father of the twins born in 1908 to Mudocci (who never married)? Mudocci took this secret to her grave. Lady with a Brooch solves all of these mysteries.

The final chapter explores one last question: Who was the "unknown artist" who created an unfinished oil painting of Mudocci that has hung for years in a Minnesota dining room? Could it be Edvard Munch? If so, how could a painting by one of the world's most celebrated artists remain unacknowledged for so long? Why was it never completed? Shore's book tracks down the answers. Here is a case where headlines have been ripped from the book! Dozens of photographs as well as 10 color art reproductions and 10 b&w reproductions accompany the narrative, and help bring to life the fascinating story behind a celebrated portrait.