From paintbrush to pen, Jonathan Santlofer’s life’s work has always revolved around storytelling. He began as an artist, painting over 200 pieces that now grace galleries like the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, his hometown. Firmly believing it was his sole and genuine calling, he dedicated the first part of his life to positioning himself as a respected artist. However, his career took an unexpected turn when, after sending his paintings to a gallery in Chicago, the building burned down, consuming ten years’ worth of his work.
Following this setback, Santlofer, 77, says, “I was having a tough time painting, so instead, I started a novel.” Released in 2003 and titled “The Death Artist,” it not only became an international bestseller but marked the beginning of his writing endeavors.
Reflecting on this transition, he says, “I was still trying to paint, but I had pulled out of the serious artist character,” he explains, adding, “Being an artist and a writer has been the greatest thing in the world.”
Santlofer has authored seven novels, including “Color Blind,” “The Killing Art,” “The Murder Notebook” and “Anatomy of Fear,” as well as a memoir titled “The Widower’s Notebook.” Most recently, he released “The Last Mona Lisa,” and this month, its sequel, “The Last Van Gogh.”
In “The Last Van Gogh,” Santlofer reintroduces readers to Luke Perrone (the hero of his previous novel), his girlfriend (the daughter of a notorious art thief) and an Interpol agent. Together, they track down a lost Van Gogh self-portrait, unraveling the painting’s journey during World War II when agents of the French Resistance protected it from destruction by the Nazis.
Says Santlofer, “It has always been about Van Gogh. He’s a romantic, tragic figure; his paintings are so expressive and talented. I don’t believe Van Gogh committed suicide, so it was interesting to me to play with that.”
Santlofer recalls that while working on the novel, he had to figure out how to write in the past and move the story to the present, as well as do extensive research about Van Gogh’s life and Nazi-looted paintings.
“I love discovering things that take over the story,” he says. “I went to Amsterdam, France and places Van Gogh had lived to feel more of the story. You can’t make up a place. That’s the best part of writing.”
He adds a hopeful note to readers, “One thing about writing historical fictional books is that it provides solutions. The world is so chaotic that I want people to learn and have an enjoyable, thrilling read.”
On Jan. 10 at 6:00 p.m., Santlofer will be at Palm Beach County Library in Boca Raton as part of his book tour. He will also visit Key West, Tampa, New Orleans and Houston, as well as Amsterdam and Paris, where the book comes out later this year.
Caitlin Lawler
Author Jonathan Santlofer
For more information about the author and book tour, visit jonathansantlofer.com.