As a mystery novel about the market of fine art, art history in which no one dies in the story, Maha Harada did a fine job with the details in her (I guess the author is a woman but I'm not 100% sure) novel, the mystery about artist Henri Rousseau, the ill fated romance he had with his much younger 'muse' (a poor married woman from downstairs of his apartment) and the meaning beyond Rousseau's masterpiece The Dream is satisfyingly explained in the end and I'm satisfied with what I'd read throughout the novel.
There are so many novels based on art history, famous artists and the mysteries surrounding famous paintings and masterpieces, but what makes this novel stand out is how the author expressed the wonder of art, how people are blissfully overwhelmed by a masterpiece.
I also fully enjoy the romance between Rousseau and his young married muse, this romance is told in a 'story-within-story' format, but it is still a refreshing and bittersweet romance/love triangle. For example, I really like the part when the painter's muse (in a whim) demanded an airship as a gift, Rousseau, in turn, painted her a painting with an airship flying over the Eiffel Tower. And the part when Picasso commented to the muse that she would one day 'live forever' (in Rousseau's painting).
I also like that turns out the weird, rich art collector is revealed to be
PS: I am surprised to learn Picasso was one of Rousseau's early admirers!["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>
merci à cette formidable autrice de tenir éveillée l'Oeuvre merveilleuse du Douanier Rousseau. un roman que j'ai adoré lire et qui m'a permis de rêver à travers le monde imaginaire et fantasmagorique du peintre !