Explore the real-world places that appear in Boy Who Fooled the World by Lisa Thompson. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include Cork Street Galleries, Sotheby's London, Christie's London, Royal Academy of Arts, Tate Modern and 5 more.
Mayfair — the likely home of the 'posh London gallery'
Cole's life changes when one of his paintings is talent-spotted and sold for thousands of pounds at a posh London gallery. A smart Mayfair street like this is the natural real-world stand-in for that world. Cole, who comes from a family struggling to make ends meet, is suddenly surrounded by wealthy buyers and dealers who hail him as a boy genius. The gallery is where his guilty secret begins to matter.
Cork Street has been the centre of London's commercial art dealing since the mid-20th century. Dealers here helped bring modern and contemporary art to British collectors.
Several commercial galleries still operate on and around Cork Street, though redevelopment has reduced their number. They are free to browse, and you can see contemporary work in a traditional dealer setting.
Visit: Cork Street gallery district (landmark)
34-35 New Bond Street — where art prices soar
As Cole's painting sells for thousands of pounds, his fame is measured in auction-style money. A real auction house like Sotheby's is a fitting stand-in for the glossy side of the London art trade he is thrown into. Cole's rise from the odd one out at school to a celebrated name rests on that price tag. The higher it climbs, the harder his secret is to confess.
Sotheby's was founded in London in 1744 and is one of the world's oldest auction houses. Its New Bond Street premises have been its London home for decades.
The New Bond Street building holds exhibitions and sales open to the public. It is a good place to see how high-end art is shown and sold.
Visit: Sotheby's London (landmark)
8 King Street, St James's — the art market's rival power house
Cole's sudden fame draws attention from the international art world, and a place like Christie's represents the money and prestige that now surrounds him. The boy who once lacked the latest trainers is treated as a valuable discovery. This is a stand-in for the circle of collectors and experts who rely on his talent being real.
Founded in 1766 by James Christie, Christie's holds sales in London's St James's district. It has handled some of the most valuable artworks ever sold.
Christie's King Street hosts auctions and free public viewings of upcoming lots. Visitors can walk in and see works that are about to be sold.
Visit: Christie's London (landmark)
Burlington House, Piccadilly — London's establishment art institution
Once Cole is hailed as a boy genius, the establishment art world takes him seriously. An institution like the Royal Academy shows the kind of prestige and scrutiny that come with that title. It represents the pressure on Cole to keep up an image he knows is built on a secret.
The Royal Academy was founded in 1768 with George III's backing to promote art and design. It has been based at Burlington House since 1867.
The Royal Academy runs major exhibitions and hosts the annual Summer Exhibition. Its galleries and courtyard are open to visitors.
Visit: Royal Academy of Arts (museum)
Bankside — the national gallery of modern art
In Cole's new life as an art-world celebrity, a visit to a landmark like Tate Modern shows how far he has come from his school playground. It stands for the larger art world that now watches him. As the world praises his work, the gap between his public image and his private truth widens.
Tate Modern opened in 2000 in the former Bankside Power Station, designed by Giles Gilbert Scott. The Switch House extension opened in 2016.
Tate Modern is one of the world's most visited modern art museums, with free entry to its permanent collection. Its Turbine Hall hosts large commissioned installations.
Visit: Tate Modern (museum)
Duke of York's HQ, King's Road, Chelsea — a showcase for new artists
Cole is celebrated as a fresh young talent, so a gallery known for launching new artists is a natural stand-in for the places where his work might be shown. Here the spotlight and the speculation grow. For Cole, each new admirer makes his hidden secret more dangerous.
The Saatchi Gallery was founded by Charles Saatchi in 1985 and moved to the Duke of York's HQ in Chelsea in 2008. It is known for showcasing emerging contemporary artists.
The gallery offers free admission to a rotating programme of contemporary exhibitions. It is a lively spot just off the King's Road.
Visit: Saatchi Gallery (museum)
White City — stand-in for the TV studios
Cole becomes the star guest on TV shows, a boy genius whose face is everywhere. A famous London TV studio complex is the real-world equivalent of the glossy sets where he is interviewed. The fame feels fantastic, but each appearance forces him to keep up the lie that could bring everything crashing down.
BBC Television Centre opened in 1960 and was the home of many classic BBC programmes. The BBC left in 2013, and the site was redeveloped.
The site now includes apartments, a hotel, restaurants, and TV studios that are still in use. The restored original building and its public spaces can be visited.
Visit: BBC Television Centre (landmark)
The Strand — luxury hotel of the newly rich
Cole is suddenly rich beyond his wildest dreams, and a grand London hotel like the Savoy stands for the new life that money buys. The boy whose family once struggled can now imagine being treated like a VIP. The luxury is thrilling but also a reminder of how much depends on his secret staying hidden.
The Savoy opened in 1889, built by Richard D'Oyly Carte with profits from Gilbert and Sullivan operas. It was one of the first luxury hotels in Britain, with electric lighting and lifts.
The Savoy is a five-star hotel with restaurants and the American Bar. The public can visit for afternoon tea or a drink.
Visit: The Savoy (restaurant)
Trafalgar Square — the benchmark of great art
Being called a boy genius means being compared with the great masters. The National Gallery represents that benchmark of real artistic achievement. Standing among the masterpieces would sharpen Cole's sense of the gap between his fame and what it truly means to be an artist, a theme that drives his search for honesty.
The National Gallery was founded in 1824 and moved to its Trafalgar Square building in 1838. Its collection covers Western European painting from about 1250 to 1900.
Entry to the permanent collection is free. It holds works by Van Gogh, Turner, Leonardo, and many other major artists.
Visit: The National Gallery (museum)
South Bank — a gateway into the capital
Cole's story moves between his everyday life and the glitzy London art world, and a major rail terminus like Waterloo is a stand-in for that journey. The book does not name his home town, so this marks the arrival point. For Cole, each trip into the city takes him further from the ordinary boy he was and deeper into a life of fame.
Waterloo Station opened in 1848 and is now Britain's busiest railway station. It was rebuilt in the early 20th century, with the Victory Arch added in 1922.
Waterloo is a major terminus for commuter and long-distance trains, with shops and cafes. The Victory Arch and its concourse are open to all passengers.
Visit: London Waterloo Station (landmark)
More by Lisa Thompson: All Lisa Thompson books
More novels set in London: Browse all London books on Map A Story
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