Chapter 23: 21: Dorsoduro
Spoiler Notice: This page reveals plot details from Chapter 23 of An Inside Job. Read on only if you have finished this chapter.
Summary
The chapter opens with the historical anecdote of Leonardo da Vinci’s procrastination while painting The Last Supper and his defence to Duke Ludovico Sforza that lofty geniuses accomplish most when they work least because their minds perfect ideas before giving them form. Gabriel Allon, hidden behind a tarpaulin in the Salute, adheres to a similar schedule—sometimes working from dawn to dusk without pause, discarding Chiara’s pleas that he wear a protective mask. His smartphone relentlessly delivers news of the murdered Leonardist Giorgio Montefiore, eulogised by museum directors, while the Carabinieri publicly dismiss any link to Penelope Radcliff’s drowning. Pope Luigi Donati’s American trip passes without scandal.
Gabriel completes the first phase of the Titian restoration weeks ahead of schedule. Over dinner at Al Covo, Chiara suggests he paint a copy of the lost Leonardo portrait. The custom walnut panel takes two weeks to procure. Gabriel produces a first version, but Chiara says he overdid the sfumato; he buries it in obliterating paint. A second version meets her approval, yet Gabriel promptly carries the panel to the fireplace and burns it as a funeral pyre for the girl from Milan.
Dottoressa Saviano calls to finalise Gabriel’s art teaching at the school. He starts with twelve children, drilling them in tapered lines, circles, cubes, and shading before moving to a still life and plein-air perspective at the Frari. When he learns that his son Raphael refused to join, he is disappointed. Later that evening, a surreptitious search of Raphael’s book bag uncovers a skilful sketch. Chiara counsels patience.
The restored Titian draws international acclaim. Among the visitors is London dealer Julian Isherwood, who arranges to meet Gabriel at Harry’s Bar after Gabriel’s Wednesday art class, signalling that the cold case might soon warm.
Key Events
- The chapter frames Gabriel’s work rhythm through the Leonardo and Sforza anecdote.
- Gabriel ignores safety advice and finishes the initial Titian cleaning early.
- Media coverage of Montefiore’s murder fades; Carabinieri deny a connection to Radcliff.
- Chiara proposes and Gabriel executes the copying and burning of the lost Leonardo’s portrait.
- Gabriel begins teaching art at his children’s school and discovers Raphael’s hidden sketch.
- Julian Isherwood arrives in Venice and schedules a meeting with Gabriel.
Character Development
- Gabriel Allon: His obsessive dedication mirrors Leonardo’s; he is both the driven craftsman and the reluctant father. Burning the second portrait reveals his uncompromising standard that only an authentic masterpiece holds worth, and his disappointment over Raphael exposes paternal vulnerability.
- Chiara Zolli: She balances pragmatism (urging the mask, ordering the panel) with emotional insight, affirming that patience is needed for their son.
- Raphael Allon: His refusal to join the art class masks genuine talent, shown through the discovered sketch. He quietly resists his father’s legacy while still drawing a face that recalls the lost Milanese girl.
- Dottoressa Saviano: She gently advises Gabriel to remain patient with Raphael, emphasising the challenges of being a legendary father.
- Julian Isherwood: His reappearance after the Titian’s success hints at a possible development in the stalled investigation.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Creative Obsession and Procrastination: The Leonardo story illustrates that genius moves to its own clock; Gabriel’s manic pace and his refusal to mask or rest embody that same single-mindedness.
- Copy vs. Original: The burnt portrait symbolises the gulf between a skilful copy and the priceless original. Its destruction underscores the investigation’s core: the missing Leonardo panel is irreplaceable, and any forgery is worthless.
- Fatherhood and Legacy: Gabriel’s eagerness to teach Raphael contrasts with the boy’s independence. The sketch Raphael hides—a portrait resembling the lost Leonardo’s subject—suggests an inherited eye the father must approach with patience, not force.
- The Pyre: Fire consumes the false Madonna, prefiguring perhaps the eventual fate of deception. It also echoes the theme of artistic sacrifice.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 23 bridges the active investigation and Gabriel’s waiting period. While the case runs cold, the restoration of the Titian finishes and Gabriel channels his creative energy into teaching and a private copy project. The burning of the portrait reinforces that the stakes are absolute; only the genuine Leonardo can resolve the central mystery. Julian Isherwood’s arrival suggests new intelligence may break the silence. Raphael’s sketch teases a deeper inheritance that will undoubtedly ripple through later events. The chapter marries quiet domestic tension with the persistent shadow of the stolen panel, keeping the plot simmering without artificial acceleration.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Gabriel create and then burn a copy of the lost Leonardo?
Gabriel produces the copy to understand the original’s technique and to fill an idle moment, but the act of burning it reinforces that no forgery, however expert, can replace the authentic masterpiece. The fire erases work that could be mistaken for the real thing, paralleling his mission to recover the true painting and exposing his disdain for the deceit at the heart of the art‑world crime. -
How does the opening story about Leonardo da Vinci’s argument with the prior relate to Gabriel’s actions in the chapter?
The prior’s impatience with Leonardo’s erratic schedule echoes Chiara’s and official frustration with Gabriel’s methods. Leonardo’s defence—that genius requires mental gestation—frames Gabriel’s nonstop work and his obsessive immersion. Both artists ignore conventional timelines, and Gabriel’s ability to finish early while shunning safety mirrors the Florentine’s assertion that the mind perfects form before the hand executes it. -
In what ways does Gabriel’s relationship with Raphael complicate his role as a father and an artist?
Gabriel yearns to pass on his craft, but Raphael’s refusal to join the art class wounds him. The sketch hidden in Raphael’s notebook proves the boy inherited talent but prefers secrecy, forcing Gabriel to confront his own impatience. The tension between guiding a legacy and respecting a child’s autonomy crystallises when Chiara counsels patience, showing that artistic mentorship and fatherhood must align with the son’s own timing.