The Portrait

De: Iain Pears

Narrado por: Peter Capaldi

A dark and disturbing tale set at the turn of the 20th century, by the bestselling author of An Instance of the Fingerpost.

The windswept isle of Houat, off the coast of Brittany, is no picturesque artists' colony. At the turn of the twentieth century, life is harsh and rustic. So why did Henry MacAlpine forsake London – where he had been fêted by critics and gallery owners, his works exhibited alongside the likes of Cezanne and Van Gogh – to make his home in this remote outpost?

The truth begins to emerge when, four years into his exile, MacAlpine receives his first visitor. Influential art critic William Nasmyth has come to the island to sit for a portrait. Over the course of the sitting, the power balance between the two men shifts dramatically as the critic whose pen could anoint or destroy careers becomes a passive subject. And as the painter struggles to capture Nasmyth's true character on canvas, a story unfolds – one of betrayal, hypocrisy, forbidden love, suicide and ultimately murder.

©2007 Iain Pears (P)2007 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, London, UK

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Beautifully written and disturbing, The Portrait is as good as anything the author has done." ( The Times)
"It's obvious the artist plans to murder his sitter ¿ the suspense, artfully sustained, lies in finding out why." ( Sunday Telegraph)

Compelling read.

Loved this dark thrilling book many years ago and have re-read it a number of times. Thoroughly enjoyed the narration by Peter Capaldi. So perfect a personification of Henry MacAlpine