Can you share a little bit about the inspiration behind Attribution?
I worked in the art field, owned an art gallery and served on art museum boards. I also had the opportunity to travel the world. In 2008-2009, I went to a lecture by an art curator who shared a story about uncovering an old painting in the basement of a building (at Yale) that was being remodeled and thought “this could be something.” The spark of an idea for Attribution started with this lecture . I found the process of attributing an art work fascinating, the science of it, analyzing the props in the painting, the face of a model that was in another artist painting and other dimensions. I love connecting the dots, doing the research.
Did you choose Spain and Velázquez and build your novel around it or was it the other way around?
I studied in Madrid in college and had the opportunity to take an art class at the Prado. There were so many artists to choose from, I thought about the Italian artist Caravaggio among others. I visited Spain three times over the course of writing the book and studied biographies, art histories to learn about the artist himself, to get a profile of Velázquez as not only the artist but a human with flaws, desires and challenges. Cate’s story developed through my research.
If you had to recommend one place to visit mentioned in Attribution, where would it be?
That is like choosing your favorite grandchild! I think in my next life I would like to be a travel guide in Spain. Spain went through many difficult times with a brutal civil war and political struggles. It was stagnant with no real renaissance period but as Spain began to open up in the early 1970s, there was a movement to preserve their history, the architecture and the beautiful towns of the past. The good news is that centuries-old churches, walls and streets remain unchanged. To answer your question I would have to say Seville, it’s like going back 300-400 years, walking on the same cobblestone streets as Velazquez. Or maybe I would choose Granada. Both are cities influenced by the diverse cultures that flourished there.
Cate struggled with Dr. Jones not taking her work seriously based on great female artists yet in the end, her discovery of Flaminia allowed her to do just that. Could you share your insights about that a bit more?
Attribution did not end up where I originally thought it was going. Cate needed to save herself, she couldn’t have Antonio come rescue her on a white horse. And, in the end she not only saved herself but Lillian and Flaminia! Cate’s story of not being taken seriously and Lillian’s work being published without being recognized as the author - that has happened for years and still goes on today. Cate fought against that type of treatment.
Whether a book lover, art lover or traveler, what do you want readers to take away from Attribution?
The idea that what is written in history is not necessarily the truth. We need to keep our minds open. History did not always treat everyone fairly and the same. Even today I want people to think about Cate’s story and be a warrior for truth.