His Masterpiece

His Masterpiece (L’Œuvre), published in 1886, is a deeply personal novel in Zola’s Rougon-Macquart series. Loosely based on the life of Zola’s friend Paul Cézanne, the story follows Claude Lantier, a passionate but tormented painter who struggles to achieve artistic greatness. As his obsession consumes him, it strains his relationships and leads to tragic consequences. Zola explores the tension between creativity and madness, the sacrifices of the artistic life, and the relentless pursuit of perfection in a world that may never understand genius.