Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • The Masterpiece

  • By: Émile Zola
  • Narrated by: Leighton Pugh
  • Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (14 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
The Masterpiece cover art

The Masterpiece

By: Émile Zola
Narrated by: Leighton Pugh
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £20.99

Buy Now for £20.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Kill (La Curee) cover art
Thérèse Raquin cover art
Blood, Sex and Money cover art
The Three Musketeers (AmazonClassics Edition) cover art
Dead Souls cover art
Swann's Way cover art
The Dark Flower cover art
I'm Not Stiller cover art
The Judgment of Paris cover art
All Souls' Night cover art
Sentimental Education cover art
The Old Wives Tale cover art
The Lady with the Dog & Other Stories (AmazonClassics Edition) cover art
Justine cover art
Invitation to a Beheading cover art
Rogue Herries cover art

Summary

Perhaps the most autobiographical of Zola's Rougon-Macquart cycle of novels, The Masterpiece is a hard, bleak, and raw portrait of unrecognized artistic genius. Claude Lantier, brother to Nana and son of Gervaise, is a struggling painter who dreams of conquering the Paris art scene with his revolutionary "open air" style of painting. Discouraged and mocked, Claude retreats to the countryside with a young woman from Clermont, with whom he has fallen in love, before returning to Paris, where he continues to experience rejection at every turn. Zola's depiction of a frustrated artist is said to have drawn heavily on the real-life experiences of Edouard Manet and Paul Cezanne, the latter of whom broke off his friendship with the author upon reading the novel.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2020 Naxos Audiobooks

What listeners say about The Masterpiece

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    10
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    8
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    8
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Obsessions are real

"The Masterpiece" is a compelling narrative that offers a window into the soul of an artist and the volatile world of art. Has a stark and powerful depiction of the conflict between an artist’s vision and societal acceptance, making it a timeless reflection on the nature of creativity and recognition. Zola's masterful blend of vivid detail, emotional depth, and critical insight makes this novel a poignant addition to his body of work and a vital read for anyone interested in the arts or not as the case maybe - quite the misogynist start but after that hiccup if settles as you get know the main character.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A typical Zola story of life but this time focussing the art world, which was new to me and very interesting.

One of my favourite authors and this book did not disappoint although not one I would re-read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

magical. great story very well told. the accents h

great story very well told. the accents hold firm. the characters are easily identifiable. a lovely companion

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The obsessions of art told in poetic text.

As an artist, Personal favourite. A sad, beautiful at times horrific classic on art and obsession.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

loved it

I loved it because it opened up for us the struggles of being an artist.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful