A review by rowena_wiseman
The Masterpiece by Émile Zola

5.0

After Zola's childhood friend Cezanne read this novel, he never spoke to him again. The Masterpiece traces artist Claude's obsession with creating the perfect painting. Zola's descriptions of painting feel so authentic I felt as though he was holding a paintbrush rather than a pen. The story traces a group of artists full of hope and optimism in their youth, who are slowly strangled by their own dreams. Art is the mistress that Claude's wife can never compete with. The novel shows creativity as a curse, rather than a gift. There's a shockingly heartbreaking scene towards the end that's a cautionary tale for anyone caught in the clutches of creativity. Claude's artworks may have been a failure, but Zola's novel is a masterpiece.