Wes Anderson's movie, "The Phoenician Scheme," showcases an authentic Renoir painting and a satirical portrayal of the art collecting world.
In the latest flick by Wes Anderson, The Phoenician Scheme, we find ourselves surrounded by the words of Zsa-Zsa Korda: "Skip the decent art, man. Grab masterpieces." This film, playing in theaters across New York and LA, serves as a folksy guide for any blooming art collector. But the big question is – where does one find this capital needed to snag those priceless pieces? Zsa-Zsa, played by the multi-talented Benicio del Toro, finds himself in a tight spot. The man's out here trying to pull off the Phoenician Scam – supposedly opening a waterway somewhere near the Med – but he's short of funds. Throughout the movie, he's scrambling to get his business partners to cover the financial gap. He even ropes in his estranged daughter, a nun named Liesl, to join the hustle.
Yet, it wouldn't be hard for Korda to rake in a quick buck – if only he'd sell a couple of those paintings in his palazzo. This Renaissance palace – frequently reminiscent of Calouste Gulbenkian's home – houses an extensive art collection, including a 17th-century Floris Gerritsz. van Schooten still life featuring breakfast fare, a 1942 René Magritte with a plant that actually sports birds as leaves, and an 1889 Pierre-Auguste Renoir of the artist's nephew. Liesl even catches some Z's beneath that Impressionist beauty.
But alas, Korda seems more interested in his scam than his artwork. His lack of care for his art library hints at a mindset reminiscent of Russian oligarchs, who once cared little for their Picassos and Rothkos before the Ukrainian conflict hampered their collecting efforts.
Anderson, known for crafting elaborate, picturesque sets, has a way of making artworks resemble movie props. In The Phoenician Scheme, you'd think they were fabricated, especially since Anderson previously concocted some art history for his 2021 film The French Dispatch. But here's the twist: several of them are real.
The Renoir, for instance, was once owned by the illustrious Greta Garbo. In 1990, Garbo's estate auctioned off the painting at Sotheby's for a cool $7 million. According to Getty Images, this illustrious art is sourced from the Nahmad family's sizable collection. The Magritte, too, is the real deal, and previously graced the collection of Heiner Pietzsch – a compilation that found its way onto the our website Top 200 Collectors list before he shuffled off this mortal coil in 2021. It's now in the Berlin State Museums. The van Schooten, hailing from the Hamburger Kunsthalle, is also in the realms of the genuine.
Still, other pieces, like a Peter Paul Rubens, are mere copies. Making it tough for the viewer to differentiate between the real and the replica is part of the irony – Korda can't discern a genuine masterpiece from a cheap imitation, even as he chows down on books about the art world during his travels. He doesn't have a clue about what a truly valuable item is, just like he doesn't understand the value of his daughter, which he's trying to assign as his heir in the event of his untimely demise.
What's more, the haphazard manner of displaying the paintings – some leaned against the walls rather than elegantly hung – reflects Korda's lackadaisical attitude toward his prized possessions. He views them as mere set pieces in his own universe, echoing the attitude of some art collectors who buy pieces without properly appreciating their worth.
In essence, The Phoenician Scheme slyly takes a shot at art collectors who buy items without understanding or cherishing their true value – a poignant lesson delivered by a man who can't seem to grasp the worth of anything in his life except for a shady waterway scheme. So, here's another piece of advice from Korda: "Bypass the quality paintings. Go for masterpieces." And Anderson might add:
"Buy great works, but give them the love and respect they deserve."
- In the world of art, some individuals might choose to focus on acquiring masterpieces instead of decent art, a notion echoed by Zsa-Zsa Korda in Wes Anderson's latest film, "The Phoenician Scheme."
- The film's protagonist, Korda, possesses an extensive art collection housed within his Renaissance palace, boasting works by artists such as Floris Gerritsz. van Schooten, René Magritte, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
- Sellers who are in need of funds might consider selling a few pieces from their art collection, as was the case with Greta Garbo, who once owned a Renoir now sourced from the Nahmad family's collection and previously sold at Sotheby's for $7 million.
- Although some art collectors might focus solely on accumulating items without properly understanding their worth, Anderson's movie, "The Phoenician Scheme," subtly critiques this behavior, urging collectors to treat their acquisitions with the respect and appreciation they deserve.
- Viewers contemplating their own art purchases might find inspiration in Benicio del Toro's character, Korda, as he delivers a crucial message from Anderson: "Buy great works, but give them the love and respect they deserve."
