The Phrontisterion is the library David Walsh has been fantasising about since before Mona opened, housing his large and ever-growing collection of books, rare volumes, maps and manuscripts. ‘It’s possible I’ve spent more money on this stuff than the art’, he says.

People always want to know more about David. That’s tough, because this whole Mona enterprise is an expression of his character—or, more accurately, an attempt for him to get to know himself better. ‘There are three things extremely hard,’ said Benjamin Franklin, ‘steel, a diamond, and to know one’s self.’ But as library manager Mary Lijnzaad puts it, ‘If you want to know what David is really like, browse his bookshelves.’