A new film about former First Lady Melania Trump has inadvertently highlighted a striking art world discrepancy. A seemingly priceless painting by Impressionist master Pierre-Auguste Renoir, featured prominently in the trailer, is in fact a convincing copy.
The Glamorous Illusion in Trump Tower
In the trailer for the forthcoming Amazon film Melania, the former First Lady is seen in her opulent Trump Tower office. The setting is lavish, adorned with marble, gold statues, and a Louis XIV desk. On the wall hangs what appears to be Renoir's 1874 masterpiece, La Loge (The Theatre Box), depicting a fashionable couple at a Parisian performance.
However, true art aficionados will immediately spot the deception. The genuine article, considered a pinnacle of Renoir's dazzling technique, is not in New York but is safely housed over 3,500 miles away in London. It forms part of the permanent collection at the world-renowned Courtauld Institute of Art, located within Somerset House.
A History of Artistic Misattribution
This is not the first time a Renoir linked to Donald Trump has been revealed as inauthentic. In 2015, journalist Mark Bowden recounted in Vanity Fair how, back in 1996, Mr Trump had showcased a painting he claimed was an original Renoir on his private Boeing 727, valuing it at $10 million.
The authentic version of that painting, Two Sisters (On The Terrace), has been a centrepiece of the Art Institute of Chicago's collection since 1933. The copy from Trump Tower has since appeared in various television interviews.
Regarding the current film's backdrop, one former White House aide commented to The Mail on Sunday: "Donald Trump loves to flaunt his wealth, but like so many things in his life, it's not always what it seems. He might know the Art Of The Deal, but doesn't know much about dealing in art."
The Value of the Real vs. The Replica
The authentic La Loge is a museum treasure that has been loaned to prestigious institutions like the Musee d'Orsay in Paris and The National Gallery of Art in Washington in recent years. Art experts suggest that if it were ever sold, it would likely shatter the existing £46 million auction record for a Renoir.
By contrast, high-quality, "museum-standard" copies of such works can be acquired for a fraction of the price, around £4,000. The 104-minute film, for which Melania Trump is said to have received approximately £30 million, chronicles the 20 days leading up to Donald Trump's presidential inauguration and is set for global release on January 30.
A friend of the former President offered a defence, stating: "Trump can appreciate great art, but he finds the New York art crowd elitist and phoney." The incident underscores a recurring theme of perception versus reality, with a genuine London-held masterpiece casting a long shadow over its cinematic imitation.
