by Émile Zola
وعدها أخيراً قبل أن تنام أن يترك الفن الذي وهب روحه له، فأوفى بوعده لها لتستيقظ هي منتصف الليل وتجده قد شنق نفسه على اللوحة .. فمات هو وأصيبت هي بالجنون..بالفعل هكذا هو الفن.. سيد مستبد، فإما أن تعطيه روحك ونفسك وكل شيء تملكه، وإلا حطمك أو أدبر عنك!
IntroductionNote on the TranslationSelect BibliographyChronology--The MasterpieceExplanatory Notes
There's a character in this novel who decides to embark on an ambitious project to write a series of novels that "scientifically" demonstrate the effects of heredity and environment on a large family living during the regime of Napoleon III. (Whatever happened to Napoleon II?) The idea is that each ...
I think this is one of the most depressing stories I have ever read. Like Jude the Obscure, this is the kind of story that leaves you feeling cold...almost like you’ve been punched in the gut...an experience akin to a kind of betrayal. The Masterpiece is truly an awful story, yet Zola somehow manage...
Watched a terrific BBC series on the Impressionists and there was mention of this work and the rift it caused between Cezanne, a childhood friend, and Zola. Cezanne apparently took a lot personally. The intro. suggests the main character is an amalgamation of Cezanne, Manet, and Zola himself. Writin...