An Artist's Life: Four Stories About Painters

Art, which has fascinated the author since his youth, is the central theme of this anthology of short stories by the immortal Henry James. Considered one of the founders of North American realism and one of the best writers at the turn of the 19th century to the 20th century, Henry James (1843-1916) produced twenty novels, more than one hundred short stories, as well as plays, art reviews, travel reports and an autobiography throughout his career. Despite the diversity of experiences the writer experienced, a theme that permeates his entire work is the artist's constant presence: the hardships and afflictions of the art world. As a young man, he took painting lessons, frequented studios, and visited major museums. These early experiences remained with the writer, who once declared that he had always harbored the desire to paint "a dramatic picture of the artist's life." An Artist's Life: Four Stories About Painters, a small compilation of stories written at different stages throughout his career, spanning a 35-year period—the first dating from 1868 and the last from 1903—well portrays this truth.