This is another book that has been sitting in the pile waiting to be reviewed, and once again I have a somewhat indistinct memory of it. It’s published in the wonderful New York Review of Books Classics series which are only patchily available in the UK for reasons that escape me. It’s paired with with another novella, Gambara.
Both stories are linked by the themes of genius and madness. The Unknown Masterpiece deals with a (fictional) painter, Frenhofer, who is either a visionary genius or a complete madman. It also features the historical artists Poussin and Pourbus. It’s a story that is supposed to have fascinated Cézanne and Picasso, among others.
Gambara covers similar ground (music and the search for the ‘perfect’ symphony) and some more conventional romantic machinations that are reminiscent of Les Liaisons dangereuses. Both protagonists are driven to the edge of madness in their quest to break new ground and achieve artistic perfection.
The two stories can easily be read at one sitting and are highly recommended.
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