Wes Anderson's new film *The Phoenician Scheme* features a protagonist, Zsa-Zsa Korda (played by Benicio del Toro), who is a jet-setting high roller with a vast but neglected art collection housed in a 16th-century palazzo. The collection includes authentic masterpieces such as an 1889 Renoir portrait once owned by Greta Garbo, a 1942 Magritte, and a 17th-century van Schooten still life, alongside replicas like a Peter Paul Rubens. The film, now playing in New York and Los Angeles, uses these artworks as props and backdrops, reflecting the protagonist's indifference to his possessions amid his shady business schemes and fractured family relationships.
The article matters because it highlights the intersection of cinema and the art world, showing how real artworks are integrated into a fictional narrative. It also touches on themes of art collecting as a status symbol or distraction, drawing parallels to oligarchs and mega-collectors like the Nahmad family and Calouste Gulbenkian. By revealing that some works are authentic and have notable provenance, the piece underscores the growing trend of filmmakers using genuine art to enhance authenticity, while also prompting viewers to question the value and aura of original artworks versus replicas.