A perfect marriage of travel and history focused on seeing as many of Caravaggio’s paintings in situ as possible in Europe. In so doing, the Petralias have produced an extraordinary work of art themselves.

Come along on a thrilling real life adventure that will have you questioning the authenticity of some of the world’s greatest art works.

Not your grandmother’s travel book.

As a travel writer and Caravaggio enthusiast I loved, loved this informative and fun adventure. My favorite insight: Red points the viewer to what Caravaggio wants you to see. Brilliant!

" With intense curiosity and a fierce determination for authenticity, these intrepid travel writers intersperse fascinating personal experiences with humor and reality in this engaging adventure."

With their usual panache, John and Nancy blend incisive social commentary, art history, and travelogue in this winner of a book. A wonderful read!

Can John really make a fake Caravaggio? Is this an art book? A travelogue? A chemistry lesson? A mystery? Yes, yes, yes and yes!

You probably know from the Petralias’ other two books, the bestselling “Not in a Tuscan Villa,” and “Looking for Garibaldi” that they are retired from their careers, but certainly not from life. In their latest book, just like the previous ones, they take you along on their adventures, this time as they search out the works and life of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, bad-boy 16th century genius, whose works inspired so many.

If you have never been to Italy or been there many times; whether you never heard of Caravaggio or love his work; whether like me, you hated high school chemistry or like remembering those concepts you forgot; whether you know anything about art forgery or have never heard of it, there is something for you in this book.

The authors do a masterful job of linking the past and present. The challenge all to really LOOK at art and imagine the times and people who created it. They make you question all you see and ask whether it is authentic. You will never look at a piece of art the same way.

And they make it FUN to follow along as they explore the numerous museums and churches that house the known Caravaggios. Are there other lost Caravaggios out there? Can John really make a fake Caravaggio?

In their third travel adventure, these bestselling authors go throughout Europe to find the answer while illuminating the dark side of the art world–forgeries. Their investigation, worthy of Agatha Christie, takes them to Italy, Malta, Spain, and London.

“For those who have read any of the two previous books authored by John and Nancy you undoubtedly found their character and storytelling prowess engaging and inclusive with the reader. You will find this new book to be the same. This style is important because without their style the subject matter lends itself to being just an art history “exercise “– a simple text book.

But this is a compendium of not only Caravaggio’s life and art but also a peek into the chemistry and world of art forgery. Foremost, it is a travel book and crafted to be so, with vivid descriptions of the sites and people along the way of their research- A travel book with a plot.”

Worth the read—5 stars.

“John and Nancy Petralia are a fascinating couple. They know how to travel. Not the American way of “tick, tick, done that” but stay, study, explore, get to know the ambience and the people.

Loved the writing style and the format. Short chapters. Short cryptic sentences. No excessive verbiage.

If you are interested in Italian Art and Caravaggio in particular this book is a must read.

Art forgeries and how science helps detect them? Its all here. Plus a way as to how to create a fake painting

(not easy but brilliant). The book leaves you hanging. Can’t wait for their next book!”

“Having thoroughly enjoyed John and Nancy Petralia’s first books, “Not in a Tuscan Villa” and “Looking for Garibaldi”, I couldn’t wait to read “Without Provenance”. And what a treat it was!

Thanks to their witty and engaging writing style, Nancy and John have a unique way of bringing the reader along with them on their trips. Many times did I find myself forgetting I was actually reading a book, and feeling like a privileged travel companion , enjoying Italian art and culture, learning about Caravaggio’s work in an amazing, detailed, and insightful way, and discovering the fascinating paths of art forgeries, nicely punctuated by the book’s ending.

A must read, delightfully entertaining and educational!”

Nancy and John have a unique way of involving the reader in their journeys. This is not a travel book but a creative journal of the authors’ journey through life. Caravaggio is a ” hot” topic in the current art world and the Petralias have used creatively used him to examine the concept of what is real vs fake.

“Without Provenance” was a terrific read. It was well-written and compelling reading. I learned a lot about the extraordinary life and times of Caravaggio. I loved the style of both authors, their humor and insightful comments, really rare. I also very much appreciated the wonderful descriptions of each Caravaggio work. I loved the anticipation of seeing the work and found myself googling the work with each description. I only wished I had read it prior to our trips to Naples, Rome etc. But then look forward to seeing those cities in a new Caravaggio light. Bravi et grazie!!

“Very enjoyable reading. I like the travel log experiences and especially your excitement about Pompeii. I have not been there since 2006&8. The new discoveries have me excited about going back. Your book brings to life the current view of new discoveries in Pompeii.

For me the biggest surprise of your book is the knowledge John developed to become a Caravaggio forger!!! It was fascinating reading as well as your points about provenance to prove authentic works of art.”

“A delightful read! So engrossing to read and learn about Caravaggio, his paintings and the world in which he lived while following two Americans traveling and experiencing so much that Italy has to offer. It is also an eye opener regarding the art world and the potential for forged art being mistaken for real. All you need is the correct Craquelure a believable Provenance, some artistic talent and, oh yes, an appetite for criminality. However, there is another route that doesn’t include criminality and this is explained playfully and accurately in this book. I highly recommend for anyone who loves art, travel and Italy.”

“I just finished Without Provenance and in two days we are going to Italy so it was a very timely read. I Googled all the paintings that Nancy and John wrote about because it was easier to view them than imagine them. I was especially excited when I reached the chapters on Sorrento, Pompeii and the Naples National Archaeological Museum because that’s where we are going. Besides learning about Caravaggio, which I’m pretty sure I can identify his paintings now, Without Provenance is a good travel book. I was underlining and turning down page corners.”

“If you have read the Petralia’s other two books on Italian travel “Not in a Tuscan Villa” and “Looking for Garibaldi”, you know how these two intrepid writers combine history, art and travel with a twist! This time they explore how one can make a forgery that even fools the experts. They chose Caravaggio as the artist and take the reader to Italy, Barcelona, Malta and London to explore forgeries in the art world. Come along on this extraordinary ride!!!”

Another compelling adventure of John & Nancy Petralia.

Chronicling their way through spots in Europe on a quest for Caravaggio paintings and a fascination to understand forgeries. They capture the day to day travel experiences in a humorous and amusing way, all the while educating the reader on art, forgeries and of course Caravaggio.

“In their third travel adventure, these bestselling authors go throughout Europe to find the answer while illuminating the dark side of the art world–forgeries. Their investigation, worthy of Agatha Christie, takes them to Italy, Malta, Spain, and London.”

“In this often humorous first-person account, the reader comes along to Barcelona, Rome, Pompeii, Florence, Sorrento, Naples, Ischia, the caves of Malta, and the theaters and Queen’s Tennis Courts of London.”