Painting Time

An enchanting coming-of-age novel that immerses readers in the captivating world of art and the pursuit of craftsmanship.In Maylis de Kerangal's Painting Time, we follow the artistic journey of Paula Karst, a young painter enrolled at the prestigious Institut de Peinture in Brussels. Unlike her peers, Paula is determined to master the intricacies of her craft, striving to replicate the essence of wood or the wear of marble. With meticulous attention to detail, she chooses the painstaking demands of technique over the abstraction of high art.De Kerangal chronicles Paula's apprenticeship with a documentarian's eye, capturing the brushstrokes, hard work, and long nights that define her dedication. After completing her studies, Paula continues to hone her skills in Paris, Moscow, and on the sets of great films in Italy, as if rehearsing for a grand finale: working on Lascaux IV, a facsimile of the world's most famous prehistoric cave art and the epitome of human cultural expression.Painting Time is an intimate exploration of craft, inspiration, and the contemporary art world. Maylis de Kerangal, acclaimed author of The Heart and The Cook, once again unravels a tightly wound professional realm to reveal the beauty within. This atmospheric and aesthetic novel is a must-read for fans of literary fiction and those fascinated by the creative process.