Robert M. Edsel

Robert M. Edsel is a New York Times bestselling author and philanthropist known for his work in art preservation and cultural heritage protection. Edsel began his career in business, initially exploring professional tennis before founding Gemini Exploration, an oil and gas exploration company that advanced horizontal drilling technology. After selling the company's assets to Union Pacific Resources Company, Edsel shifted his focus to art and architecture, which led to his research on the Monuments Men.

While living in Florence, Edsel developed an interest in how significant works of art and monuments survived the destruction and thefts of World War II. His research resulted in the publication of "Rescuing Da Vinci," which documents the efforts to save European art during the war. Edsel's subsequent book, "The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History," provides a narrative account of the Monuments Men and has been translated into more than 25 languages. The book was adapted into a film titled "The Monuments Men," directed by and starring George Clooney, with a cast that includes Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville, and John Goodman.

Edsel authored "Saving Italy: The Race to Rescue a Nation's Treasures from the Nazis," which details the Monuments Men's efforts to recover Italy's stolen art. His book "Remember Us: American Sacrifice, Dutch Freedom, and a Forever Promise Forged in World War II" continues his exploration of overlooked wartime history. Edsel also co-produced the Emmy-nominated documentary film "The Rape of Europa."

Edsel founded the Monuments Men and Women Foundation to honor and continue the mission of recovering Nazi-looted artworks and returning them to their rightful owners. The foundation played a key role in securing the Congressional Gold Medal for the Monuments Men and Women, awarded by the United States Congress. Edsel has been recognized as an honorary graduate of the Army Monuments Officer Training Program, a collaboration between the United States Army and the Smithsonian Institution.

Edsel's work in art history and cultural preservation has been recognized with honors such as the National Humanities Medal, the Texas Medal of Arts, the President's Call to Service Award, the Hope for Humanity Award from the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, and the Foundation for the National Archives Records of Achievement Award. He is a frequent speaker at institutions including the Eisenhower Institute, National Archives, National Gallery of Art, Nelson-Atkins Museum, National World War II Museum, Yale University, Art Institute of Chicago, and Eisenhower Presidential Library.