num_pages: 48
description: The Unknown Masterpiece is a novella written by the renowned French author, Honore de Balzac. The story revolves around the life of a struggling artist, Frenhofer, who is obsessed with creating the perfect masterpiece. Frenhofer is convinced that he has finally achieved his goal when he unveils his painting to his friends, Porbus and Poussin. However, to their surprise, the painting appears to be a chaotic mess of colors and lines.Frenhofer's friends are unable to comprehend the painting and dismiss it as a failure. However, a young artist named Nicolas is intrigued by the painting and becomes obsessed with deciphering its hidden meaning. Nicolas becomes so engrossed in his quest that he neglects his own work and relationships, ultimately leading to his downfall.The novella explores the themes of artistic obsession, the struggle for perfection, and the nature of creativity. Balzac's writing is rich in detail and vividly portrays the world of art and artists in 19th century France. The Unknown Masterpiece is a thought-provoking work of literature that continues to captivate readers today.THIS 42 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE The Country Doctor; The Quest of the Absolute; and Other Novels, by Honore de Balzac. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 0766171175.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.
language: English
title: The Unknown Masterpiece
titlecomplete: The Unknown Masterpiece
characters: Nicolas Poussin
genres: Short Stories, Art, Novella, French Literature, Novels, Literature, Classics, Fiction, 19th Century, France
ratings_count: 5234
series: La Comédie Humaine, Études philosophiques
publisher: Kessinger Publishing