33

Paris, December 1928

‘So, they are finished and ready to be chopped into pieces and shipped off to that great coffee factory of a country across the seas,’ declared Landowski as he studied the head and hands of Christ, which now took up every spare inch of space in the atelier.

Landowski wandered about the head, studying it thoughtfully. ‘The chin still concerns me. From this distance it sticks out from the rest of his face like a giant slide, but the crazy Brazilian tells me this is how he wishes it.’

‘It will be seen from a great distance, remember, professor,’ commented Laurent.

‘His Father in heaven only knows if my masterpiece will make it safely to Rio de Janeiro,’ Landowski grumbled. ‘The Brazilian is arranging a passage on a cargo ship for it. Let us hope that the seas are calm and another container in the hold does not smash into my creation. I would go with it if I could, to oversee the shipping and to observe the early stages of construction, but I simply cannot spare the time. This project has already taken up twice the time it was meant to and I still have the commission of Sun Yat-sen to complete, which is already considerably behind schedule. Well,’ he sighed, ‘I have done what I can and now it is out of my control.’

As Laurent listened to Landowski, the tiniest seed of an idea sprouted in his mind. He kept it to himself, wanting to think it through before he suggested it.

The following day, Heitor da Silva Costa came to the atelier, and the two men decided where and how the head should be cut into pieces. Laurent listened as Landowski again voiced his concerns about the safety of the sculpture moulds on their journey.

‘You’re right,’ agreed Heitor. ‘There should be someone to check them regularly in the hold, but I simply cannot spare any of my team to make the journey. My draftsmen here are not yet finished.’

‘I could go,’ said Laurent suddenly, voicing the idea that had been growing in his mind since the previous day.

Both men turned to him in surprise. ‘You, Brouilly? But I thought you were wedded to the streets of Montparnasse and your hectic social life here,’ said Landowski.

‘Sadly, I’ve never had the opportunity to travel outside of France before, professor. Perhaps a few months abroad in such an exotic country would expand my artistic horizons and inspire me.’

‘Then you will return to make a great sculpture of a coffee bean, no doubt,’ Landowski quipped.

‘Senhor Brouilly,’ said Heitor, ‘if you are serious, then I think it would be an excellent idea. You have been present since the inception of the structure. In fact, your own hands have contributed to parts of it. If the professor can spare you, you could be his eyes in Rio as we construct it.’

‘And ensure that a finger does not end up stuck on Our Lord’s nose as they fit the pieces together,’ Landowski mumbled under his breath.