An apartment on the Right Bank owned by Madame de Florian, an affluent Parisian socialite and actress, was left suddenly when the Nazis rolled into Paris.
Even though she never returned, she kept paying the rent all the way up to her death at 91.
Among the exquisite architectural details, the tapestries, the view into a bygone era, was found the painting discovered to be Madame de Florian herself, painting by renowned 19th century Italian Giovanni Boldini. The painting, and several handwritten love letters from Boldini seem to confirm that she was in fact his muse.
Marthe de Florian at 24 years of age painted by Giovanni Boldini
