The Unknown Masterpiece 1845

"The Unknown Masterpiece" by Honoré de Balzac is an early to mid-19th century novella that dives into the demanding world of art. It revolves around dreams of creation, following Nicolas Poussin; a painter who looks up to another artist by the name of Frenhofer. Frenhofer is trying to create a masterpiece that captures beauty, but he goes to extremes and becomes very troubled when he realizes his picture only exists in his imagination. Told through conversations between Poussin, Frenhofer, and another painter, Porbus, the story shows their struggles to capture the true meaning of life and emotion in paintings, highlighting how wanting to achieve perfection can blind one's judgment.