What do you think?
Rate this book
La Comédie Humaine #45
Pierre Grassou
This is an electronic edition of the complete book complemented by author biography. This book features the table of contents linked to every chapter. The book was designed for optimal navigation on the Kindle, PDA, Smartphone, and other electronic readers. It is formatted to display on all electronic devices including the Kindle, Smartphones and other Mobile Devices with a small display.
30 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1840
3 people are currently reading
177 people want to read
About the author
Honoré de Balzac
9,676 books4,453 followersFrench writer Honoré de Balzac (born Honoré Balzac), a founder of the realist school of fiction, portrayed the panorama of society in a body of works, known collectively as
La comédie humaine
.
Honoré de Balzac authored 19th-century novels and plays. After the fall of Napoléon in 1815, his magnum opus, a sequence of almost a hundred novels and plays, entitled, presents life in the years.
Due to keen observation of fine detail and unfiltered representation, European literature regards Balzac. He features renowned multifaceted, even complex, morally ambiguous, full lesser characters. Character well imbues inanimate objects; the city of Paris, a backdrop, takes on many qualities. He influenced many famous authors, including the novelists Marcel Proust, Émile Zola, Charles John Huffam Dickens, Gustave Flaubert, Henry James, and Jack Kerouac as well as important philosophers, such as Friedrich Engels. Many works of Balzac, made into films, continue to inspire.
An enthusiastic reader and independent thinker as a child, Balzac adapted with trouble to the teaching style of his grammar. His willful nature caused trouble throughout his life and frustrated his ambitions to succeed in the world of business. Balzac finished, and people then apprenticed him as a legal clerk, but after wearying of banal routine, he turned his back on law. He attempted a publisher, printer, businessman, critic, and politician before and during his career. He failed in these efforts From his own experience, he reflects life difficulties and includes scenes.
Possibly due to his intense schedule and from health problems, Balzac suffered throughout his life. Financial and personal drama often strained his relationship with his family, and he lost more than one friend over critical reviews. In 1850, he married Ewelina Hańska, his longtime paramour; five months later, he passed away.
Honoré de Balzac authored 19th-century novels and plays. After the fall of Napoléon in 1815, his magnum opus, a sequence of almost a hundred novels and plays, entitled, presents life in the years.
Due to keen observation of fine detail and unfiltered representation, European literature regards Balzac. He features renowned multifaceted, even complex, morally ambiguous, full lesser characters. Character well imbues inanimate objects; the city of Paris, a backdrop, takes on many qualities. He influenced many famous authors, including the novelists Marcel Proust, Émile Zola, Charles John Huffam Dickens, Gustave Flaubert, Henry James, and Jack Kerouac as well as important philosophers, such as Friedrich Engels. Many works of Balzac, made into films, continue to inspire.
An enthusiastic reader and independent thinker as a child, Balzac adapted with trouble to the teaching style of his grammar. His willful nature caused trouble throughout his life and frustrated his ambitions to succeed in the world of business. Balzac finished, and people then apprenticed him as a legal clerk, but after wearying of banal routine, he turned his back on law. He attempted a publisher, printer, businessman, critic, and politician before and during his career. He failed in these efforts From his own experience, he reflects life difficulties and includes scenes.
Possibly due to his intense schedule and from health problems, Balzac suffered throughout his life. Financial and personal drama often strained his relationship with his family, and he lost more than one friend over critical reviews. In 1850, he married Ewelina Hańska, his longtime paramour; five months later, he passed away.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 7, 2024
Pur și simplu savuroasă această povestire a lui Balzac dedicată "pictorului cinstit, această infamă mediocritate, această inimă de aur, acest om plin de sinceritate, acest prost desenator, băiatul acesta cumsecade, decorat cu Ordinul regal al Legiunii de Onoare", nimeni altul decât Pierre Grassou "de locul lui din Fougères, numit pe scurt, în lumea artiştilor Fougères". Bineînțeles, unii cititori mai cârcotași ar putea afirma că deznodământul povestirii este previzibil, fiind ușor de intuit în ce constă trucul la care recurge negustorul necinstit Elias Magus, și ar avea, desigur, dreptate, însă acest lucru nu scade cu nimic plăcerea lecturii. În final, trebuie să-l lăsăm pe scriitorul francez să descrie acest personaj naiv și simpatic: "Prin înfăţişare, Grassou de Fougères se potrivea cu numele. Grăsuliu şi îndesat, avea o faţă ştearsă, ochi căprui, păr negru, nas cârn, gură destul de mare şi urechi lungi. Aspectul blând, indiferent şi resemnat nu izbutea să dea prea multă expresie trăsăturilor fizionomiei sale de om perfect sănătos, dar molatec. Nu era răscolit nici de un impuls sangvin bogat, nici de neastâmpărul gândirii, nici de acea vervă mucalită după care pot fi recunoscuţi marii artişti". Lectură plăcută!
Notă: citatele utilizate mai sus au fost extrase din ediția de Opere, volumul 8, apărută în anul 1962 (traducere de G. Marcuson). Mai există și o altă traducere, publicată de editura Polirom în anul 1998 în volumul Proscrișii (traducere de Ileana Littera).
Notă: citatele utilizate mai sus au fost extrase din ediția de Opere, volumul 8, apărută în anul 1962 (traducere de G. Marcuson). Mai există și o altă traducere, publicată de editura Polirom în anul 1998 în volumul Proscrișii (traducere de Ileana Littera).
January 20, 2020
A short story in Le Comedie humaine about a French painter. Its really a story about what people really value and where they get their significance from. In some ways its one of the less subtle pieces in Scenes from Parisian Life (Scènes de la vie parisienne). It has a relatively happy ending, but one that makes you think.
September 8, 2022
PIERRE GRASSOU-HONORÉ DE BALZAC
✒"L’artiste resta les bras cassés, la bouche béante, sans parole sur les lèvres, en reconnaissant la moitié de ses tableaux dans cette galerie : il était Rubens, Paul Potter, Mieris, Metzu, Gérard Dow ! il était à lui seul vingt grands maîtres."
✒"La beauté passe... mais la laideur reste ! L’argent est la moitié du bonheur."
🖌Ovo je razlog zašto volim Balzaka. Iako je stvorio monumentalnu Ljudsku komediju i oslikao nam Pariz i provinciju s mnoštvom detalja,ume u dva poteza perom da istakne suštinu.
🖌Kratka ali veoma sadržajna pripovetka. Ironijom je istaknuta sva rugoba buržoazije
🖌Pierre Grassou je netalentovan ali odlučan u svojoj nameri da postane slikar.
🖌Ljudi koji imaju novac nisu baš stručnjaci za umetnost. I tako je naš vredni i uporni junak pravio kopije i kopije i kopije velikih dela...
🖌A originalnost? To ostaje nekim budućim generacijama da otkriju i cene. Važno je živeti sada, odnosno tada. Nije da se stvari menjaju danas.
#7sensesofabook #knjige #classicliterature #literature #readingaddict #bookstagram #balzac
✒"L’artiste resta les bras cassés, la bouche béante, sans parole sur les lèvres, en reconnaissant la moitié de ses tableaux dans cette galerie : il était Rubens, Paul Potter, Mieris, Metzu, Gérard Dow ! il était à lui seul vingt grands maîtres."
✒"La beauté passe... mais la laideur reste ! L’argent est la moitié du bonheur."
🖌Ovo je razlog zašto volim Balzaka. Iako je stvorio monumentalnu Ljudsku komediju i oslikao nam Pariz i provinciju s mnoštvom detalja,ume u dva poteza perom da istakne suštinu.
🖌Kratka ali veoma sadržajna pripovetka. Ironijom je istaknuta sva rugoba buržoazije
🖌Pierre Grassou je netalentovan ali odlučan u svojoj nameri da postane slikar.
🖌Ljudi koji imaju novac nisu baš stručnjaci za umetnost. I tako je naš vredni i uporni junak pravio kopije i kopije i kopije velikih dela...
🖌A originalnost? To ostaje nekim budućim generacijama da otkriju i cene. Važno je živeti sada, odnosno tada. Nije da se stvari menjaju danas.
#7sensesofabook #knjige #classicliterature #literature #readingaddict #bookstagram #balzac
Want to Read
April 13, 2023Read next round 2
December 15, 2025
Śmieszne
Did Not Finish
March 13, 2026je ne sais pas quoi dire
June 20, 2021
"Pierre Grassou" is another short story which Balzac comments not directly but from the subject matter, about how an artist that can copy great artist and thrive, whereas the majority of times a master artist remains in poverty until he is discovered, Joseph Bradiu makes his appearance and is in need of money. I love when Balzac gives us little introductions of his different characters in his various stories, it is tough at times keeping all straight but worth it.
I did not read this edition but from a Delphi Collection of his works.
"Originally published in 1840, this short story introduces the character Grassou, an artist of little merit, in spite of being tutored by skilled masters. In the story, Grassou is exploited by a dealer who encourages him to copy the style of the masters and sells these pictures at a profit. Very little of this comes to Grassou, but by living frugally, he avoids penury and is even able to make himself a good match."
From The Lesser Bourgeoisie
"Do you notice the effect produced in the salon by those portraits of Monsieur and Madame and Mademoiselle Thuillier by Pierre Grassou, the artist par excellence of the modern bourgeoisie. "
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
Pierre Grassou is a mediocre painter who is admired by the fellow artist community not for his art but for his good hearted self, also known as Fougeres, not an attractive man. He is told to give up his art by many but refuses to listen and keeps painting. Elie Magus, the art dealer buys and sells his works and Grassou does fairly well, better than the true masters of art, like Joseph Bradiu. Magus enlists him to do three portraits of the Vervelles family, he is a wealthy bottle maker and Magnus tells the daughter would be a great match. The Vervelles come to his studio and sees the family looks like vegetables, but after several days the thought of marriage looks good to him, thinking of money matters as being settled for life, soon after he sees Virginie as pleasing. One day while working on Virginie portrait, Joseph Bradiu comes to borrow money, for the money lenders are at his heels, Joseph remarks on the Vervelles' looks and Grassou tells him to be quite. The money note is given to Joseph, while waiting the master artist adds red color to Virginie's painting, the Vervelles are afraid the painting is spoiled but Grassou tells them the artist has added to it greatly. The Vervelles invite Grassou to their villa where he has a great art collection which Grassou gasps when he sees the folly that Magus did in selling not Rubens, Rembrandt, Titian or Gerard Douw but Grassou's copies, work that Magnus requested for the artist to paint, he paid small amount and requested a large amount from Vevelles, he tells his soon to be father in law. The couple marry and live with her family, Grassou still paints and is very popular in the bourgeois circle. They are all happy and have 2 children.
"GRASSOU (Pierre), born at Fougeres, Brittany, in 1795. Son of a Vendean peasant and militant Royalist. Removing at an early age to Paris he began as clerk to a paint-dealer who was from Mayenne and a distant relative of the Orgemonts. A mistaken idea led him toward art. His Breton stubbornness led him successively to the studios of Servin, Schinner and Sommervieux. He afterwards studied, but fruitlessly, the works of Granet and Drolling; then he completed his art studies with Duval-Lecamus. Grassou profited nothing by his work with these masters, nor did his acquaintance with Lora or Joseph Bridau assist him. Though he could understand and admire he lacked the creative faculty and the skill in execution. For this reason Grassou, usually called Fougeres by his comrades, obtained their warm support and succeeded in getting admission into the Salon of 1829, for his “Toilet of a Condemned Chouan,” a very mediocre painting
palpably along the lines of Gerard Dow. The work obtained for him from Charles X. the cross of the Legion of Honor. At last his canvasses found purchasers. Elie Magus gave him an order for pictures after the Flemish school, which he sold to Vervelle as works of Dow or Teniers. At that time Grassou lived at No. 2 rue de Navarin. He became the son-in-law of Vervelle, in 1832, marrying Virginie Vervelle, the heiress of the family, who brought him a dowry of one hundred thousand francs, as well as country and city property. His determined mediocrity opened the doors of the Academy to him and made him an officer in the Legion of Honor in 1830, and major of a battalion in the National Guard after the riots of May 12. He was adored by the middle classes, becoming their accredited artist. Painted portraits of all the members of the Crevel and Thuillier families, and also of the director of the theatre who preceded Gaudissart. Left many frightful and ridiculous daubs, one of which found its way into Topinard’s humble home. Pierre Grassou. A Bachelor’s Establishment. Cousin Betty. The Middle Classes. Cousin Pons."
"GRASSOU (Madame Pierre), born Virginie Vervelle; red-haired and homely; sole heiress of wealthy dealers in cork, on rue Boucherat. Wife of the preceding whom she married in Paris in 1832. There is a portrait of her painted in this same year before her marriage, which at first was a colorless study by Grassou, but was dexterously retouched by Joseph Bridau. Pierre Grassou. "
"VERVELLE (Antenor), an eccentric bourgeois of Paris, made his fortune in the cork business. Retiring from the trade, Vervelle became, in his own way, an amateur artist; wished to form a gallery of paintings, and believed that he was collecting Flemish specimens, works of Tenier, Metzu, and Rembrandt; employed Elie Magus to form the collection, and, with that Jew as go-between, married his daughter Virginie to Pierre Grassou. Vervelle, at that time, was living in a house of his own on the rue Boucherat, a part of the rue Saint-Louis (now rue de Turenne), near the rue Charlot. He also owned a cottage at Ville-d’Avray, in which the famous Flemish collection was stored — pictures really painted by Pierre Grassou. Pierre Grassou. "
"VERVELLE (Madame Antenor), wife of the preceding, gladly accepted Pierre Grassou for a son-in-law, as soon as she found out that Maitre Cardot was his notary. Madame Vervelle, however, was horrified at the idea of Joseph Bridau’s bursting in Pierre’s studio, and “touching up” the portrait of Mademoiselle Virginie, afterwards Madame Grassou. Pierre Grassou. "
VERVELLE (Madame Antenor), wife of the preceding, gladly accepted Pierre Grassou for a son-in-law, as soon as she found out that Maitre Cardot was his notary. Madame Vervelle, however, was horrified at the idea of Joseph Bridau’s bursting in Pierre’s studio, and “touching up” the portrait of Mademoiselle Virginie, afterwards Madame Grassou. Pierre Grassou. "
I did not read this edition but from a Delphi Collection of his works.
"Originally published in 1840, this short story introduces the character Grassou, an artist of little merit, in spite of being tutored by skilled masters. In the story, Grassou is exploited by a dealer who encourages him to copy the style of the masters and sells these pictures at a profit. Very little of this comes to Grassou, but by living frugally, he avoids penury and is even able to make himself a good match."
From The Lesser Bourgeoisie
"Do you notice the effect produced in the salon by those portraits of Monsieur and Madame and Mademoiselle Thuillier by Pierre Grassou, the artist par excellence of the modern bourgeoisie. "
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
Pierre Grassou is a mediocre painter who is admired by the fellow artist community not for his art but for his good hearted self, also known as Fougeres, not an attractive man. He is told to give up his art by many but refuses to listen and keeps painting. Elie Magus, the art dealer buys and sells his works and Grassou does fairly well, better than the true masters of art, like Joseph Bradiu. Magus enlists him to do three portraits of the Vervelles family, he is a wealthy bottle maker and Magnus tells the daughter would be a great match. The Vervelles come to his studio and sees the family looks like vegetables, but after several days the thought of marriage looks good to him, thinking of money matters as being settled for life, soon after he sees Virginie as pleasing. One day while working on Virginie portrait, Joseph Bradiu comes to borrow money, for the money lenders are at his heels, Joseph remarks on the Vervelles' looks and Grassou tells him to be quite. The money note is given to Joseph, while waiting the master artist adds red color to Virginie's painting, the Vervelles are afraid the painting is spoiled but Grassou tells them the artist has added to it greatly. The Vervelles invite Grassou to their villa where he has a great art collection which Grassou gasps when he sees the folly that Magus did in selling not Rubens, Rembrandt, Titian or Gerard Douw but Grassou's copies, work that Magnus requested for the artist to paint, he paid small amount and requested a large amount from Vevelles, he tells his soon to be father in law. The couple marry and live with her family, Grassou still paints and is very popular in the bourgeois circle. They are all happy and have 2 children.
"GRASSOU (Pierre), born at Fougeres, Brittany, in 1795. Son of a Vendean peasant and militant Royalist. Removing at an early age to Paris he began as clerk to a paint-dealer who was from Mayenne and a distant relative of the Orgemonts. A mistaken idea led him toward art. His Breton stubbornness led him successively to the studios of Servin, Schinner and Sommervieux. He afterwards studied, but fruitlessly, the works of Granet and Drolling; then he completed his art studies with Duval-Lecamus. Grassou profited nothing by his work with these masters, nor did his acquaintance with Lora or Joseph Bridau assist him. Though he could understand and admire he lacked the creative faculty and the skill in execution. For this reason Grassou, usually called Fougeres by his comrades, obtained their warm support and succeeded in getting admission into the Salon of 1829, for his “Toilet of a Condemned Chouan,” a very mediocre painting
palpably along the lines of Gerard Dow. The work obtained for him from Charles X. the cross of the Legion of Honor. At last his canvasses found purchasers. Elie Magus gave him an order for pictures after the Flemish school, which he sold to Vervelle as works of Dow or Teniers. At that time Grassou lived at No. 2 rue de Navarin. He became the son-in-law of Vervelle, in 1832, marrying Virginie Vervelle, the heiress of the family, who brought him a dowry of one hundred thousand francs, as well as country and city property. His determined mediocrity opened the doors of the Academy to him and made him an officer in the Legion of Honor in 1830, and major of a battalion in the National Guard after the riots of May 12. He was adored by the middle classes, becoming their accredited artist. Painted portraits of all the members of the Crevel and Thuillier families, and also of the director of the theatre who preceded Gaudissart. Left many frightful and ridiculous daubs, one of which found its way into Topinard’s humble home. Pierre Grassou. A Bachelor’s Establishment. Cousin Betty. The Middle Classes. Cousin Pons."
"GRASSOU (Madame Pierre), born Virginie Vervelle; red-haired and homely; sole heiress of wealthy dealers in cork, on rue Boucherat. Wife of the preceding whom she married in Paris in 1832. There is a portrait of her painted in this same year before her marriage, which at first was a colorless study by Grassou, but was dexterously retouched by Joseph Bridau. Pierre Grassou. "
"VERVELLE (Antenor), an eccentric bourgeois of Paris, made his fortune in the cork business. Retiring from the trade, Vervelle became, in his own way, an amateur artist; wished to form a gallery of paintings, and believed that he was collecting Flemish specimens, works of Tenier, Metzu, and Rembrandt; employed Elie Magus to form the collection, and, with that Jew as go-between, married his daughter Virginie to Pierre Grassou. Vervelle, at that time, was living in a house of his own on the rue Boucherat, a part of the rue Saint-Louis (now rue de Turenne), near the rue Charlot. He also owned a cottage at Ville-d’Avray, in which the famous Flemish collection was stored — pictures really painted by Pierre Grassou. Pierre Grassou. "
"VERVELLE (Madame Antenor), wife of the preceding, gladly accepted Pierre Grassou for a son-in-law, as soon as she found out that Maitre Cardot was his notary. Madame Vervelle, however, was horrified at the idea of Joseph Bridau’s bursting in Pierre’s studio, and “touching up” the portrait of Mademoiselle Virginie, afterwards Madame Grassou. Pierre Grassou. "
VERVELLE (Madame Antenor), wife of the preceding, gladly accepted Pierre Grassou for a son-in-law, as soon as she found out that Maitre Cardot was his notary. Madame Vervelle, however, was horrified at the idea of Joseph Bridau’s bursting in Pierre’s studio, and “touching up” the portrait of Mademoiselle Virginie, afterwards Madame Grassou. Pierre Grassou. "
September 29, 2020
Meisterhafte Miniatur von Balzac über den Erfolg der Nachahmer im bürgerlichen Kunstbetrieb. Der Titelheld ist eine bemitleidenswerte Gestalt, vollkommen unoriginell und deshalb viele Jahre lang unbewusster Vorarbeiter für einen Kunstfälscher UNBEDINGT LESEN DIESE KURZE ERZÄHLUNG IST JEDE SEKUNDE LESEAUFWAND WERT!
August 30, 2025
Une parfaite étude de l’artiste boutiquier, phénomène en émergence dans une bourgeoisie Française qui consolidait déjà rapidement le pouvoir au moment de l’écriture de cette nouvelle. Fougère, contrairement aux maîtres d’antan, n’est pas commandité par une haute figure aristocratique, mais vend au plus offrant ses talents (par ailleurs médiocres) pour s’assurer une bourse pérenne. Il multiplie les commandes à l’endroit de clients bourgeois comme lui, qui partagent avec lui le goût du pastiche et de la reproduction. Balzac n’est pas pour autant cruel avec son protagoniste, il voit même en lui une certaine bonhommie bien nécessaire aux boutiquiers. Une brillante nouvelle sur la marchandisation rampante de l’art au 19e et la disparition de la figure classique de l’artiste.
March 1, 2026
Entertaining tale of mediocre painter who comes to fame/fortune. 3.5 Stars, rounding down.
December 12, 2020
This is so short I feel guilty about adding it as a book, but it's perfect in its way. Balzac at his most tolerant, and funny into the bargain.
March 2, 2021
A twisting tale of an artist who lacked originality. Quintessential Balzac!
April 18, 2022
For my french class. A very funny ending that I really liked.
December 16, 2025
Pierre Grassou, el protagonista de esta cuadragésimo quinta escena de "La comedia humana", es un pintor sin un talento especial, que sin saberlo vende sus obras a un marchante que luego las envejece y las hace pasar por obras clásicas. De ese modo, mientras él vive más mal que bien vendiendo por poco lo que realiza, su marchante se va haciendo de oro.
Un día le llega la fortuna al presentar en una feria de esas que Balzac critica donde se amontonan miles de cuadros sin calidad, donde la gente se agolpa y se queda maravillada con uno de sus cuadros, que no es menos copia que los anteriores.
Así, poco a poco, aprovechándose de la falta de memoria visual del espectador (todo un visionario Balzac) el protagonista comienza a vivir de manera más o menos holgada e incluso llega a ahorrar. Sobre todo porque vive, con pocos gastos, en uno de esos bloques parisinos donde en lugar de patio de viviendas tienen una especie de hueco de chimenea.
La fortuna le sonreirá definitivamente cuando una familia de burgueses que se han dedicado a la venta de tapones para botellas, unos nuevos ricos, quieran hacerse unos retratos. El matrimonio y la hija, que Balzac compara en detalle, y maliciosamente, con verduras y tubérculos, acabarán formando parte del destino del pintor protagonista.
Balzac aprovecha las pocas páginas que tiene para desarrollar esta historia y frente a otras igual de cortas aquí desata todo su potencial de descripción cruel de personajes y de una figura tan carismática como un pintor a quien repudia la crítica, pero que disfruta de una buena vida, incluso sin ser un gran artista.
Un día le llega la fortuna al presentar en una feria de esas que Balzac critica donde se amontonan miles de cuadros sin calidad, donde la gente se agolpa y se queda maravillada con uno de sus cuadros, que no es menos copia que los anteriores.
Así, poco a poco, aprovechándose de la falta de memoria visual del espectador (todo un visionario Balzac) el protagonista comienza a vivir de manera más o menos holgada e incluso llega a ahorrar. Sobre todo porque vive, con pocos gastos, en uno de esos bloques parisinos donde en lugar de patio de viviendas tienen una especie de hueco de chimenea.
La fortuna le sonreirá definitivamente cuando una familia de burgueses que se han dedicado a la venta de tapones para botellas, unos nuevos ricos, quieran hacerse unos retratos. El matrimonio y la hija, que Balzac compara en detalle, y maliciosamente, con verduras y tubérculos, acabarán formando parte del destino del pintor protagonista.
Balzac aprovecha las pocas páginas que tiene para desarrollar esta historia y frente a otras igual de cortas aquí desata todo su potencial de descripción cruel de personajes y de una figura tan carismática como un pintor a quien repudia la crítica, pero que disfruta de una buena vida, incluso sin ser un gran artista.
August 24, 2020
Une nouvelle très intéressante par son sujet, l’artiste raté qui se rend compte de son absence de talent. La chute était assez prévisible mais j’ai en tout cas bien aimé le thème de la nouvelle et la pertinence de sa critique de l’art « embourgeoisé » qui n’a plus que valeur de reconnaissance sociale indépendamment de toute qualité artistique
January 30, 2018
Short story but amusing use of language
September 27, 2022
Part of Balzac's La Comedie Humaine #45(the Human Comedy). Balzac may be my favorite French author after Alexander Dumas, but they are so totally different maybe not comparable.
July 8, 2024
La vida de una artista perseverante. Aparentemente mediocre y poco original, Grassou llega a vivir una buena vida, gracias a su trabajo.
February 24, 2025
Petite nouvelle gentillette mais qui, pour une fois, finit bien
May 19, 2025
La storia di un artista, sincera e veramente piazzata nel contesto del romanzo realista.
November 6, 2020
Pierre Grassou is a very short story from Balzac's La Comedie Humaine. Grassou, despite tuition from expert artists and a willingness to take advice, is an artist of little merit. He is exploited by a dealer who encourages him to copy the style of the masters and sells these pictures at a profit. Very little of this comes to Grassou, but by living frugally and saving prudently, he avoids penury and is even able to make a good match.
This story provides Balzac with an opportunity to snipe at the way artistic standards have slipped at the Salon since the Revolution.
This story provides Balzac with an opportunity to snipe at the way artistic standards have slipped at the Salon since the Revolution.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2010
A comic story about an honest artist whose work lacks brilliance and éclat, but which is adored by the bourgeois. After years of work and saving money (an artist saving money?), he becomes a holder of the Legion of Honor; he marries into a wealthy bourgeois family; but he never loses his cheerfulness and honesty. A good subtitle for the story would be "The Happy Dauber."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2017
Novela publicada em 1839 que tem a arte da pintura como tema.
Pierre Grassou é um pintor sem nenhum talento que mesmo assim sonha em figurar entre os grandes artistas de seu tempo. De caráter altruísta, inocente e otimista a gente acaba torcendo por seu sucesso.
Quem conhece o início da trajetória de Balzac no mundo das letras não deixará de imaginar uma certa analogia entre ele e Pierre.
Histórico de leitura
30/11/2017
"A compaixão eleva tantas mediocridades como a inveja rebaixa grandes artistas."
"Sempre que fostes visitar seriamente a exposição de trabalhos de escultura e de pintura, tal como se vem realizando desde a Revolução de 1830, não vos assaltou um sentimento de inquietação, de aborrecimento, de tristeza diante das longas galerias entulhadas?"
Pierre Grassou é um pintor sem nenhum talento que mesmo assim sonha em figurar entre os grandes artistas de seu tempo. De caráter altruísta, inocente e otimista a gente acaba torcendo por seu sucesso.
Quem conhece o início da trajetória de Balzac no mundo das letras não deixará de imaginar uma certa analogia entre ele e Pierre.
Histórico de leitura
30/11/2017
"A compaixão eleva tantas mediocridades como a inveja rebaixa grandes artistas."
"Sempre que fostes visitar seriamente a exposição de trabalhos de escultura e de pintura, tal como se vem realizando desde a Revolução de 1830, não vos assaltou um sentimento de inquietação, de aborrecimento, de tristeza diante das longas galerias entulhadas?"
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews