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The Masterpiece

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About this listen

Perhaps the most autobiographical of Zola's Rougon-Macquart cycle of novels, The Masterpiece is a hard, bleak, and raw portrait of unrecognized artistic genius. Claude Lantier, brother to Nana and son of Gervaise, is a struggling painter who dreams of conquering the Paris art scene with his revolutionary "open air" style of painting. Discouraged and mocked, Claude retreats to the countryside with a young woman from Clermont, with whom he has fallen in love, before returning to Paris, where he continues to experience rejection at every turn. Zola's depiction of a frustrated artist is said to have drawn heavily on the real-life experiences of Edouard Manet and Paul Cezanne, the latter of whom broke off his friendship with the author upon reading the novel.

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Public Domain (P)2020 Naxos Audiobooks Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction
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I loved it because it opened up for us the struggles of being an artist.

loved it

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As an artist, Personal favourite. A sad, beautiful at times horrific classic on art and obsession.

The obsessions of art told in poetic text.

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One of my favourite authors and this book did not disappoint although not one I would re-read.

A typical Zola story of life but this time focussing the art world, which was new to me and very interesting.

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great story very well told. the accents hold firm. the characters are easily identifiable. a lovely companion

magical. great story very well told. the accents h

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"The Masterpiece" is a compelling narrative that offers a window into the soul of an artist and the volatile world of art. Has a stark and powerful depiction of the conflict between an artist’s vision and societal acceptance, making it a timeless reflection on the nature of creativity and recognition. Zola's masterful blend of vivid detail, emotional depth, and critical insight makes this novel a poignant addition to his body of work and a vital read for anyone interested in the arts or not as the case maybe - quite the misogynist start but after that hiccup if settles as you get know the main character.

Obsessions are real

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