The Painter's Apprentice

Venetian Artisans #1

by Laura Morelli

Would you rather sacrifice your livelihood, your lover, or your life? When the Black Death comes knocking on your door, you'd better decide quickly.

Venice, 1510. Maria Bartolini wants nothing more than to carry on her father’s legacy as a master gilder. Instead, her father has sent her away from the only home she’s ever known to train as an apprentice to Master Trevisan, a renowned painter. Maria arranges to leave the painter’s workshop to return to her family workshop and to a secret lover waiting for her. But the encroaching Black Death foils her plans…

When the painter’s servants uncover the real reason why Maria has been sent away to train with Master Trevisan, they threaten to reveal a secret that could tear down her family and the future of their trade. She is forced to buy the servants’ silence, but as their greed steadily grows, Maria resorts to more desperate measures. She questions whether her heart’s desire is worth risking her family, her trade, and her future, but Maria’s sacrifices may amount to nothing if the plague steals away everything she’s ever loved…

From the author of the award-winning "The Gondola Maker" comes a rich tale of Renaissance Venice, a heroine with a lust for life, and love against all odds.

Buy "The Painter’s Apprentice" today to transport yourself to the vibrant and dangerous world of 16th-century Venice…

Genres: Historical Fiction, Italy, Art, Fiction, Historical, Adult Fiction, Novels

408 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2017

About the author

The first time I visited Venice as a wide-eyed teenager, I knew I was supposed to buy Murano glass, but I had no idea why.

All I knew was that I was whisked to the famous “glass island” on an overcrowded, stinky boat. I waited behind two dozen American and Japanese tourists to pay an exorbitant price for a little glass fish—what a bewildering experience!

Still, it was the artistic traditions of the world that inspired me to study the past. Living in Europe and Latin America, I realized that in many places, centuries-old craft traditions are still living traditions.

So began my quest to discover craftspeople passing on a special kind of knowledge to the next generation.

__________________________________________________

Laura Morelli holds a a Ph.D. in art history from Yale University. Her books include Made in Italy, Made in France, and Made in the Southwest, which lead travelers to some of the world’s most authentic experiences. She has written for many national publications including USA Today and the New York Daily News, and has authored a column for National Geographic Traveler online called “The Genuine Article.” She has taught at Trinity College in Rome, Tufts University, Northeastern University, and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and has spoken to public audiences across the U.S. and Europe.

Reviews

[♏ Gina☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love stories that take place in this time period. Adding to the draw for me is the fact that this novel takes place in the land of my maternal ancestors, the beautiful Italy.

In 1510, Maria Bartolini dreams of carrying on her father's vocation and become a master gilder. While she would prefer to learn under his tutelage, her father sends her away from the only home she's ever known, in order for her to learn the art. Maria is to be an apprentice under Master Trevisan, who is quite well know and an expert in the field of painting and art. To be his apprentice should be a dream come true, but Maria has left more behind than her father. She has left behind her lover.

Maria decides to run away, towards the arms of her waiting (and secret) lover. However, her dreams are not yet meant to be. Trevisan's servants uncover secrets about Maria and her father that could bring the walls down around all of them if divulged. As if that's not enough, how about the Death Plague running rampant?

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed the first novel by this author, The Gondola Maker. But I absolutely could not get into this story, which is missing heart and soul. The author is an art historian and she tried to create story rich in details of art history, but she forgot about very important aspect, to put life into the story.

[Pamela Allegretto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having already read and enjoyed Ms. Morelli’s The Gondola Maker, I was eager to read The Painter’s Apprentice. I was not disappointed. Once again, Ms. Morelli crafted her prose with profound artistry; and I was transported back to Renaissance Venice, with all its majesty, pageantry, and oh yes, the Plague.
As an artist, I particularly enjoyed the fascinating, detailed portrayal of the gilding technique, the pigment mixing mediums, and the wood panel preparations. Clearly, Ms. Morelli did her homework, but never did these details feel textbook or tutorial, but rather they are worked into the narrative seamlessly.
I cheered for Maria Bartolini, the protagonist, whose work ethic and love for her father and her paramour remained steadfast despite the many hurdles and heartaches in her path.

[Linda Zagon · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review of “THE PAINTER’S APPRENTICE” BY LAURA MORELLI

I appreciate the way Laura Morelli, author of
“The Painter’s Apprentice” creatively describes the beautiful scenery of Venice with glorious details. The time line of the story is around 1510. The Genres of this story are Historical Fiction, Fiction, and a dash of romance. During this time, there is a darkness as the plague takes offer many parts of the city, causing death and destruction.
The author presents the characters with a “real” feel during this time in history. The Artists were respected for each of their abilities. It was unusual for a young woman or young girl to participate in the Artist’s studio, and have a position. Maria Bartolini wants nothing more than to carry on in her father’s footsteps as a master gilder. Maria’s father encourages this and postpones finding a suitable husband for her (which is done in the day) so Maria can continue to care and work with him. When Maria falls in love with one of her father’s workers, her father sends her away to train as an apprentice to Master Trevistan, a famous painter. I feel that the character’s motivations make sense for the timeline in the story.

I appreciate that the author provided a wonderful historical background, and could see all the research that went into making this a great novel. I found that the author was very clear in making her points in this story.

In this story there are secrets and betrayals. There is intrigue and some tense moments. I was captivated by this tale.

I could not pick one scene as my favorite, since I enjoyed reading many. My favorite character was Maria, and I found that she was honest, kind, courageous and brave, facing many obstacles.

There were some twists and turns, and I was happy with the conclusions. I highly recommend this story for those readers that appreciate Historical Fiction. I received a copy of the ARC for my honest review.

[skylong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author knows about what she speaks. She holds a Ph.D. in Art History from Yale University. The evidence is great for the impeccability of her research for The Painter's Apprentice.

I love to read books which take me on an adventure to a new geography. And period pieces are among my favorites. The pages of this book will have you on a bit of time travel to Venice in the early 1500s. The characters are richly developed; you will cheer for some and abhor others (well, one certain other), and each vignette flows back into this wonderful story. Because this is so well written,
you will be able to see, even touch the painter's studio and his paints, the apprentice's tools, her hair and clothes, the battiloro's hammer and gold, and that auspicious gondola. There is so much here to enjoy.

I was given the opportunity of reviewing this book for my honest opinion. You have just read it!

[Shomeret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won The Painter's Apprentice by Laura Morelli on Goodreads as a result of an error. The publisher accidentally offered too many copies for their print giveaway. So the author generously agreed to give away free digital copies via Book Funnel. That's the format in which I acquired my review copy, and this is my honest review.

I primarily wanted to read this book because I have a special interest in woman protagonists who are artists. Since Laura Morelli is an art historian, I thought she would have insights to share about the world of artists in Renaissance Venice which would provide context for the story of her fictional protagonist, Maria Bartolini.

I was eventually very impressed with Maria. She fell in love with Cristiano who is called a Moor, and showed courage in standing by this relationship despite all obstacles. She also displayed a great deal of fortitude in enduring losses due to the plague.

The Painter's Apprentice contains a great deal of drama and tragedy, but it ends on a heartwarming note that leaves readers with a feeling of optimism for the future. Although I initially wondered if all of Maria's choices were wise, I ended up respecting Maria for her determination.

For the blog version of this review see http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2018/...

[Kate Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Venice, 1510-a well respected gilder swiftly arranges for his gifted daughter to apprentice with a well know painter of the city. Publicly he states that he wants to provide her with every opportunity to continue on the family artisan legacy. When in actuality, he fears her growing attachment to his gold leaf maker who is just not who he had in mind for his daughter's hand. Off she goes and much she learns but her heart remains back at her father's home and workshop. And then the bubonic plague strikes yet again. However, this time it's her old neighborhood and she can no longer communicate with her family or friends of the guild as the neighborhood has been barricaded and is heavily guarded. Worry and fear for her loved ones fill her quiet moments and distract her. That and the secret she bears consume her thoughts and provide such tension in the story. What is a young woman to do?

Author Laura Morelli writes with such exquisite form and language. Her extensive knowledge of Renaissance Italy and especially its art history is apparent and richly shared through the story's characters. The settings are stunning, painterly, and sometimes stark. It transports the reader to a far off place and time. The story was charming and features a woman of strong character who knows her own mind and loves with a heart of gold.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love reading these types of books, where I feel like I am living during the time period. I love the renaissance period and this story definitely puts you deep in the life of people who lived during the plague.

The history of how artists work was very detailed and looked like it was greatly researched. Also, the detail about the plague was also very interesting.

Unfortunately, I just didn't love the characters. I couldn't 'care' about them and wasn't drawn in at any time, with any character. I thought the main character was quite annoying...she wasn't weak and wasn't strong...she was just wishy-washy to me.

But I do see so many loved the story. I liked the history but not the storyline. Just my opinion.

[Donna Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those wonderful, richly detailed and historically accurate novels that you can sink into and get lost in for days. Like the historical novels of Ken Follett that I love so much, "The Painter's Apprentice" is compulsively readable and peopled with characters you are immediately drawn to. If you love lush, dramatic human stories, mixed with history and the beautifully exotic setting of Venice, you won't want to miss this outstanding novel by such a superb and talented author.

**This review is based on an ARC copy I received from the author**

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Venice has always held a special allure for me with its alleyways, canals, islands, gondolas. They all beckoned me to explore further. So a new book by Laura Morelli, set in Venice, promises an escape to this historic land.

Set in 1510 we are taken into the world of artists and the “gilders’ guild”. The gilders’ guild is a society dedicated to the practice and preservation of the art of using gold and metal leaf. I had no idea this technique was such a specialty.

But darkness – in the form of the Black Death - has swept over the city of Venice. Plague outbreaks in the 16th century were reported to be even far deadlier than those at the end of the 15th century.

Our protagonist, Maria Bartolini, has worked for her father her entire life and has fallen in love with Cristiano who also works for her father. She dreams of running her father’s business, happily married to Cristiano. But her father has other plans – he says for her own good. He sends her away to be an apprentice to a famous painter, Master Trevisan. For a while, she manages to sneak away occasionally for a few moments of stolen bliss with her lover. However the plague is making it more and more difficult and the streets are being closed in an attempt to curb the spread of the plague. Her dreams of returning to Cristiano and her family business are slipping through her fingers. Soon Trevisan’s servants discover the true reason that Maria’s father sent her away, leaving Maria having to make a very difficult decision. She must do whatever it takes to maintain her family’s reputation.

While the trials and tribulations of Maria’s life held my interest, I was especially enraptured with the chapters where she worked alongside the painter Master Trevisan. I loved reading of how his pigments were prepared and how Maria’s talent enhanced his art.

Morelli’s descriptions of the city and the lives of the character seemed to envelop me into the story. I was there alongside Maria through her joys, her heartbreaks, her grief. I ached for her as she made some near impossible choices, choices no one should have to make. This is one of those few books that I will read again – at another time when I can shut out the world and make Maria’s world my world.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Laura Morelli has taken us to the fascinating world of artists and craftsmen in Venice in Renaissance Italy. She expertly weaves a personal tale of love and intrigue with an insider's view of artists' studios. It's as interesting following our heroine's artistic journey, from learning the craft of applying gold leaf in her father's studio, to her apprenticeship with a painter to learn "colors" (how to create paint) and drawing, as it is see her personal travails unfold. I found myself engrossed in the story, and intrigued by the glimpse into daily living in Venice during that period. Loving art and art history; loving Italy, and particularly Venice, will make this story particularly compelling to readers. But even with no particular affinity toward the place or time, I think all readers will be thoroughly entertained by Maria's love story and struggles in beautiful Venice.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was enchanted with The Painter’s Apprentice. Laura Morelli brought Venice in 1510 to life. Maria Bartoloni was a gilder who was orphaned. Her story was both interesting and absorbing. Although she was very young, Maria lived in the art world, and she was independent, talented, and knew her own mind. The choices she made - to pass up more lucrative opportunities, have her own business, and wait for her love, Cristiano, were not typical for a young woman in the 1500s. She endured many traumas, but survived on her terms. Morelli writes beautifully, and her story was one I won’t soon forget.

[Adrienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I did enjoy was the feeling of being in Venice. What I did not enjoy was the writing, that was overly descriptive and repetitive with a predictable story.

[LadyTechie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterfully colorful. The author allowed me to read a copy of The Painter's Apprentice, the first in her Venetian Artisan series, in exchange for an honest review. The first thing that struck me was the imagery. I was looking for books to read where the story takes place in Venice before a vacation I was taking a couple of years ago. I found the author's short stories that were more than just stories based in Venice. They were total immersions in the culture, the people and the landscape of 16th century Venice.

The Painter's Apprentice tells the story of the daughter of a master glider, Maria, whose father has sent her to apprentice under a painter in Venice. While she is training, "the Black Death" or "the plague" was mercilessly taking lives across the globe and moving its way across Italy. It strikes heavily in her town where her father and cousin are still working as guild members. Maria wants to make it back home to her father's home and workshop and to hopefully take over the workshop but circumstances are against her. The servants in the painter's employ have discovered the real reason that Maria was sent away from home and they blackmail her until she has little to nothing left but her hopes to go home. What ensues is how Maria struggles to make her dreams come true to one day go home and find the man she loves. The Painter's Apprentice is a bit of romance, armchair travel and mostly a historic piece of literature. Laura Morelli does an amazing job with historical research and retelling of a terrible time. She manages to paint a story that draws the reader in and makes them look forward to the next installment in the Venetian Artisans series. Review can also be seen at Lady Techie's Book Musings http://LadyTechiesbookmusings.blogspo....

[Alyssa Palombo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, with a wonderful slow burn of tension. The detail with which Morelli goes into the artistic processes the characters engage in - from gilding to painting - is astounding and showcases the breadth of her knowledge and research. The era comes to vivid life, especially the persistent fear of the plague. Maria is a character every reader will be rooting for throughout the novel.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Painter's Apprentice by Laura Morelli is the story of a young woman, a gilder, in 16th Century Venice. Maria Bartoloni has been apprenticed, despite the fact she is female, because she has skills that will benefit her anticipated husband, painter, Paulo Grisonni. Her father has chosen this time after discovering that she and an employee at his studio have become enamored of one another. She is in the home of Master Trevisan and his wife and family. She receives no wages, just room and board and experience.

It is a time in history when gilding is losing its popularity to multi-colored painting.
Maria is more than a servant, less than an equal. It is difficult for her. She misses her family and she misses her lover. Just when a routine has been worked out, Maria's home is quarantined by the plague and she is completely cut off from these she loves. To compound matters, Master's wife is pregnant and suspicious of Maria's beauty and the times she spends with Master Trevisan.

Maria gradually becomes aware of the fact that she, too, is with child. The quarantine presents serious problems for her, which are compounded when she discovers the household has been transported to the island where plague-sufferers are taken to die. She somehow manages to hid her pregnancy until she goes into labor and is taken to a convent that specializes in taking care of orphans.

I really like this book. It is a traditional historical fiction. I like the first person narrative and the fact that dialogue is sparse. I think it serves to show how repressed the society was at this time and what daily life was like. It also served to give a glimpse into the art world of the time. Morelli has done a good job of embedding the reader in 16th Century Venice, totally transporting the reader to another place and time and firmly places them in someone else's shoes.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. It was ok. A little slow paced. I liked the setting of Venice but it could have been more interesting.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laura Morelli's books are such a pleasure to read.
The plot, characters and descriptions are intriguing. The historical details are researched meticulously. I always feel that I have entered the time and place about which Laura Morelli is writing.
I am fortunate to have visited Venice five times and, hopefully, will return. The Painter's Apprentice, as well as The Gondola Maker, speaks authentically about Venice as well as about the people, their daily lives, their challenges and their crafts.
I was given an advance copy of this book and am pleased to give an honest and enthusiastic review.

[Candy Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Venice, 1500's, revolves around the painting and gilder's guild.
Maria Bartolini works for her father and has since she was young. Her cousin, t Paolo is his Journeyman and Cristiano is the battiloro. He beats the gold into thin sheets. Maria and Cristiano fall in love. She ends up losing so much during the plague.
This is a complicated story, with a lot of twists and turns. The descriptions are lush and rich to help picture yourself in the tale. The characters are so well rounded. The way Maria hunts for her family, every clue she tries to follow up. The author has taken all these threads and put them together, into a well written, even paced and cohesive book. I loved, after the birth of her son, she lays with him for six days and just loves him more each day. It was beautiful. I was so intrigued I could not put it down, it seemed like there was always something happening.
I received this ARC free and voluntarily read it.

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is always disappointing when you win a giveaway and the sponsor backs out of it. Too bad, if I liked the book I would have hand sold, blogged and promoted the heck out of it.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Painter's Apprentice tells the story of Maria, daughter of a gilder, who has been sent to live and train with a painter in her father's guild. Little by little, Morelli reveals that Maria's placement with the painter is as much about getting her away from an unsuitable lover as it is about training her to work with a medium other than gold. The story is set in Venice in 1510 against the backdrop of a plague epidemic and liberally enhanced with details about life in sixteenth century Venice, the making of Renaissance art and the guilds that seem to be precursors to our modern day unions. These historical details are incredible and I was captivated by descriptions of the lazaretto, the gilding process, creation of paint and paintings and daily life for the artisans.

Character development was variable. The main character, Maria, is multifaceted and quite interesting, though not very believable. I found the painter less well developed and his wife whiny. Antonella was an interesting character as was the boatman; he was consistently slimy, but dark and a little surprising. The aunt in the convent was another deep character. I do wish the painter had been better developed because he could have been quite interesting.

As I was reading, I got the sense that Morelli wanted Maria to be a more liberated character than would have been likely to exist at the time. I.e. Maria is far too much of a "modern" woman. We rapidly learn that Maria's unsuitable lover is a "half-Saracen"and while interracial marriages / relationships did take place, they were not particularly common. Additionally, Maria has been apprenticed to a painter to "learn the colors" - as if she is fully expected to have a professional life of her own. I can see the possibility that a girl might have been taught her father's trade as an assistant in his own workshop, but sent out as an apprentice? I am perfectly happy to assume Morelli knows more Italian Renaissance history than I do, but this seems so enlightened as to be unrealistic.

I found the book easy to read and very interesting. It wasn't really a page-turner for me until I reached the last third of the book - gradual revelation of details limited the suspense, and there were few shocking discoveries. Maria's story is interesting largely because of the details of the art and the guilds, and because we are kept guessing about the plague and its impact on her throughout the book.

I am having a hard time deciding what to rate this book. I think I come in at a 3.5 stars - really liked the last third but just enjoyed the first 2/3. I'll give it four - I like to round up, but it isn't really a solid 4* from me. If you like historical fiction laden with period details, you'll really enjoy this.

I won this book as a Goodreads giveaway, and I've taken a LONG time to read and review it, but I thank the Goodreads team and Laura Morelli for making the book available to me.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel grew on me, as I learned more about the main characters and the challenges they faced. Through Maria, we learn of the restrictions on women in their Families, in the Guilds and early 16th century Venice. The Plague certainly added to the anguish and anxiety of these times.
I encourage Readers to go to the author's website for research info & insight. It enhanced my appreciation for this story.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book of Laura's that I've read and so far it's my favourite book of 2025. I love the Renaissance period which literally means a "rebirth" in the interest of culture after the Dark Ages. The book gets into the importance of the artisan guilds of the time. It's also when one of Black Death outbreaks occurred which pretty much affected every household.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. I love Venice and so really enjoyed the setting. Glad for the happy ending after all that stress!

[Crystal King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I raced through this book, not because I was desperate to finish, but because I really wanted to know what was going to happen to Maria and her forbidden lover, Cristiano. Morelli's background as a historian shines through with details sprinkled in that draw the reader deep into the heart of Renaissance Venice. Readers of her previous novel, "The Gondola Maker," will recognize a familiar character in the painter Maria goes to work for. I love how Morelli tied the books together--definitely standalone, but a real treat for fans of her work.

If you are a lover or know a lover of Italy, this is a fantastic read, well-paced, historically delightful and full of romantic suspense. Can't wait for her next novel!

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel set in Venice in the early 1500's during one of the plague times. The main character is an unusual person in that although female she has been trained by her father to gild artwork, and has been apprenticed to a painter to learn how to work with colors in addition to gold leaf. Besides the vivid depiction of the plague times in Venice, it is also interesting to hear her discussing how paint and canvas are replacing wood and gilding, and to see her image of Bellini as an enemy of her craft. Another aspect that was a bit unexpected was her affair with and subsequent pregnancy by an employee of her father who is a Saracen (ie: Black) on his mother's side. In general her take on life seems very modern to me, but I know the author has done a lot of research on that time period so I assume she has some basis for her depiction. Because I have been to Venice fairly recently I enjoyed being able to visualize the different districts and landmarks used in the story. In summary, this is a well written book with intriguing characters and lots of historical aspects to pique your interest.

As an aside, if you pre-ordered the digital version and find the formatting problematic (paging backwards for example), the problem has been fixed, and you just need to remove it from the device and re-download it.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book - not only did I learn a lot about 16th century Venice, the plague, and the art of gilding, but it was a wonderful story. Morelli is a great storyteller, who is able to weave together multiple narratives into a cohesive story. Maria's father, a master guilder, sends her away to work as an apprentice to Master Trevisan, a renowned painter. For some time, the real reason Maria's father has sent her away is not revealed, but when it is, and when Master Trevisan's servants discover the reason, the life Maria hopes to build for herself as a gilder is suddenly at risk and the decisions that she is forced to make to save herself and those she loves changes the course of her life forever. Although ultimately she survives the outbreak of the plague, it is only through her own determination to survive and the help of those who are willing to sacrifice their own way of life that Maria is able to move forward and to establish a family and a way of life that means so much to her.

[Galyn Hembree · Rating 4 out of 5]

seemed a little long toward the end.

[Norma Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laura Morelli has done herself proud in setting her Yale coursework, love of art and travel together as the backdrop for this tale.

The principal character, Maria Bartolini, is an artisan of the Renaissance who is sent from her father's shop as a Master Guilder to another's to study under another Master, Trevisan, where she will learn new techniques and to teach him hers. Her goal is to take over her father's shop when his time is done. In the beginning, that is all we're told as the scene surrounding her life gets fleshed out and we understand that she is unusual to be working in this capacity in this time period, the 1500's Venice. There are very rich descriptions in very condensed narratives of the times.

She is a strong--and strong-willed--young lady who is slowly and steadily revealed as having a love she is away from and is learning new skills and facts of life in Master Trevisan's shop and family.

The story is rich with unforeseen plot twists and intrigue, with the plot being developed at a steady pace. I don't know when I've read a book this quickly just to see what surprise is next. Others have shared more of the plot, so I don't want to spoil it for you by further sharing. I believe you will find a treasure in this read.


I am proud to have been given an advanced copy for an honest review of this work.

[E Kronacher Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the descriptive details around the artwork , the gilding and the painting . I also liked the historical detail of the period such as the plague and the lifestyle of the artisan class and the religious orders. I found the characters believeable. it was a lovely escape into another world and I would definitely read anything I saw the author's name on (having already read the Gondola Maker) again. I particularly liked that the book led with strong female characters