The Thumbnail Book Reviews
by John Q McDonald --- 13 July 2011
by Iain Pears
In a famous quote, the painter Paul Cézanne said, "Don't be an art critic. Paint. There lies salvation." This could be a fitting epigram to this short novel, not only because Cézanne himself is featured in a supporting role. The book is a monologue given by a painter as he paints the portrait of a famous British art critic. The two were friends long ago, until the painter secluded himself on an island not far from the French town of Quiberon on the stormy Atlantic coast. The critic has maintained a stellar career molding British art taste in the early decades of the 20th century. He even hosts a dramatic post-impressionist art show in London, which stuns the public and leaves our protagonist looking like an anachronism. But, the critic has an opportunity to throw his old reclusive friend a bone and commissions him to paint a portrait. The old friend agrees, but has his own motives for doing so. And, so, the book is the painter's reflections on their lives, their early years, their careers and friendships, and on what drew them apart. Not surprisingly, the tale hinges on their relationship to a woman artist, a quiet character obsessed with painting for its own sake, and not for any fame or money. It soon becomes clear that the painter blames the critic for his exile. His accusations grow more dire as the book draws forward. Still, art criticism holds a peculiar sway over culture and over artists. What is it that these tiny few taste-makers have that the rest of us don't? Somehow, they've gained authority, and the rest of us are left saying "that's art?" Pears draws the critic's role in the insular art world quite well, and we get a sense of the shifts and regrets of an artist who can't make art, but can critique it. It is a portrait of a stale frienship, spoiled by the strong personalities involved. And, it is also a small thriller, as the painter's reasons for accepting the commission become clear.
Also by Pears: [An Instance of the Fingerpost]