MACDOUGALL ARTS - Key Persons

Catherine MacDougall is one of the moving forces of the Russian art market. Co-founder of MacDougall's auction house, she lives in Moscow and London. "The first book by the young author Catherine MacDougall, Brig Mercury is about to make waves. The protagonist Alexandra MacNeal, a second-generation art historian and owner of a London auction house, grew up in Moscow with Aivazovsky's eponymous painting. In the painting, "Brig Mercury" is depicted at the dramatic moment of her return from un unequal battle with the Turkish fleet in 1829. The fate of the painting is closely intertwined with that of the heroine, as she finds herself drawn into the investigation of its history, its copies and forgeries. She endures a series of trials and tribulations - adolescent love, betrayal, murder. All the essential elements of a detective thriller are successfully integrated in the novel with the author's first-hand knowledge of the art world. Catherine MacDougall, expert in Russian art and co-owner of a leading auction house, at times merges with her protagonist, a feature that lends charm and credibility to the narrative and results from her thorough understanding of the subject."