Publisher's Synopsis
The Hidden Masterpiece is a novella written by the French author Honore De Balzac. It tells the story of a young artist named Nicolas Poussin, who is struggling to find his place in the art world. He is taken under the wing of the famous painter Frenhofer, who has been working on a masterpiece for over ten years.Frenhofer is obsessed with perfection and believes that his painting will be the greatest work of art ever created. He refuses to show it to anyone until it is complete. Poussin becomes fascinated by Frenhofer's dedication and decides to help him finish the painting.As they work together, Poussin begins to realize that Frenhofer's obsession with perfection has driven him to madness. He discovers that the painting is not just a representation of a woman, but a symbol of Frenhofer's own life and desires.The Hidden Masterpiece explores themes of obsession, perfection, and the struggle for artistic expression. It is a thought-provoking and insightful look into the world of art and the creative process, and a testament to Balzac's skill as a writer.Suddenly he became silent. His grave and earnest face lost its expression of joy; he was comparing the immensity of his hopes with the mediocrity of his means. The walls of the garret were covered with bits of paper on which were crayon sketches; he possessed only four clean canvases. Colors were at that time costly, and the poor gentleman gazed at a palette that was well-nigh bare.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.