Mysterious Goings On

Virginia Fontaine fought continually for recognition—as a woman, a photographer, an art curator, and, perhaps most importantly, a liaison between beleaguered German artists and the outside world. Through journals, letters, and photographs, she recorded her uniquely intimate perspective on this period, amid an ever-changing constellation of artists and friends. Her daughter, Claudia Chidester joins us to talk about her new book about this remarkable woman, Trusted Eye: Post–World War II Adventures of a Fearless Art Advocate.  Fontaine documented her life from a young age: her struggles at Yale Art School, her year as a newlywed in the British Virgin Islands, and her employment in a munitions factory. Later, she helped the Jewish underground in Europe; traveled with gallerists throughout Germany, Switzerland, and France; tangled with the Monuments Men; and experienced the international reach of Senator Joseph McCarthy's anti-communist pursuits. Listen to this riveting discussion about a fascinating woman b