Daniel N. Leeson

The Mozart Cache Daniel N. Leeson

This book is a detailed critical inspection of a collection of objects that have their feet in twoworlds, namely Mozart Historical Research and Art Historical Study. Leopold Mozart, thefather of one of the world's most supreme composers, died in 1787. At the time of his death, hisapartment held precious treasures given to his brilliant son and daughter during their lengthyEuropean tour of 1763-1766. Furthermore, it is likely that memorabilia and portraits collected inthe 21 years following that tour were also in Leopold's apartment. There is little historical recordabout what his collection might have contained at the time of his death, or what happened to it. In 2003, an American antiques collector, traveling in Italy, bought what he thought were someinteresting pieces from a woman merchant. Though he was unaware of what he had stumbledinto at that time, these pieces now appear to have been a portion of Leopold Mozart's estate. Thecollection's owner engaged the author of this book to examine and comment on the approximately40 pieces in the acquisition. The telling of the story of each of the collection's pieces and how theysurvived for more than two centuries is rich with Mozart history.