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The Masterpiece

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The Masterpiece

By: Émile Zola
Narrated by: Leighton Pugh
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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 Literary Fiction
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Obsessions are real

"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.

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

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

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magical. great story very well told. the accents h

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

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The obsessions of art told in poetic text.

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

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loved it

I loved it because it opened up for us the struggles of being an artist.

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