John Katsilometes on a report that puts the elbow-through-the-Picasso episode to the test

By John Katsilometes (contact)

Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007 | 7:09 a.m.

When I first heard that Steve Wynn had torn the painting "Le Reve" with a wayward elbow, I asked art experts how difficult it would be to damage such a work of art in that fashion. The response was that it would be difficult, but not impossible, to tear a painting such as "Le Reve" with a slip of the limb. Since, Wynn has said he was told that "Picasso used the cheapest canvases," and that such repair work on torn Picassos is common.

Now someone has put that contention to the test. On Monday, Michael J. Lewis, author and art writer for the online publication Commentary Magazine, wrote: "An elbow thrust, however fierce or well-aimed, is not likely to puncture a linen canvas," explaining that paintings are not stretched very tightly and typically have a little bit of "give." Lewis asked a friend of his who is a painter to see if he could pierce a taut canvas with his elbow. Lewis writes: "Working with heavy cotton duck canvas (a weaker fabric than the Belgian linen that Picasso likely used), he was only able to put a bowl-shaped depression into the canvas, despite repeated attempts. The insurers will be investigating this case carefully. Perhaps they'll ask to take a cast of Mr. Wynn's elbow."

However, there is talk - unconfirmed - that Wynn has settled his lawsuit with Lloyd's of London. He had sued the company for $54 million, the lost value of the painting after it was damaged and repaired.

NoteMart

Exile on Main Street: Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman recently said he reads three books a week on average, the most recent being "Exile" by Richard North Patterson. The book is a tale of a lawyer who defends the woman he loves against a charge of conspiring to assassinate the prime minister of Israel. ...

"Top Chef" icon and Joel Robuchon at the Mansion Chef Marcel Vigneron was to make an appearance on ABC's "The View" this morning. He watched Wednesday's finale from the MSNBC/CNBC studios in New York and appeared on the post-finale broadcast "Watch What Happens." ...

Picking through the confetti following Miss America's latest Las Vegas visit: One of the prizes bestowed upon the new Miss America, Lauren Nelson, was a full-length mink coat ... Fix? Miss Oklahoma has won both Miss America Pageants held at the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood; hotel President and Chief Executive Mike Mecca is an Oklahoma University graduate (1970) ... During Pageant Week both Mecca and Goodman said downtown Las Vegas would play a role in next year's pageant if it does return (the mayor wants to make appearances to promote downtown along with the requisite Strip functions) ... After Monday's show, Mecca, with his wife, Sandy Mecca, at his side, was asked when he would start working on bringing Miss America back. Sandy answered, "Yesterday." ...

Vegas moment: On Monday night as I ventured into Downtown, the new locals-friendly bar at Las Vegas Boulevard and Fremont Street, I could not figure out how to open the club's front door. I pressed, mimelike, against the glass walls at the front of the club, then ducked into the alley (good idea there) to see if there was an entrance at the back of the bar. Finally, owner Michael Cornthwaite made his way outside to find me (the entrance is a big door at the front that is not glass). Cornthwaite's club opened over the weekend, and the project is one of the seedlings growing in the entertainment district that abuts the Fremont Street Experience. Cornthwaite, who refers to the Las Vegas Strip as the Unincorporated Clark County Strip and disdains the concept of Project CityCenter (misleading, he says, as it is not the center of the city), is happy to fill his club entirely with locals. ...

People are strange: Vanity on a silver Ford Taurus, IBWEIRD.