EnvyAs the result of a series of fortuitous encounters and circumstances, the Italian writer Giacomo Longhi falls victim to an obsessive curiosity about the famous English artist Julian Sax. He would like to meet Sax, but the great painter is surrounded by an almost impenetrable protective screen. The writer’s wife, the charming and sensuous Rossa, eventually takes him to a tea room in London, where Sax spends a few hours of each day accompanied by his children, models and friends. The narrator begins to fear that his wife Rossa might succumb to the charms of this seductive man, who attracts women, paints them and then discards them. In an unpredictable sequence of events, Elkann weaves a fascinating web that blends reality and fiction, and draws the reader into the lives of characters who will prove hard to forget. |
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accent affair afraid ALAIN ELKANN aroused arrogance artist asked attracted back to London beautiful Capri Cesare character Charles Bloom crime Damian daughter direct the Biennale Elkann English friend envy Esse's exhibition in Venice extraordinary fall in love feel felt gallery gambling German gone hold an exhibition idea intelligent interested interview Sax Italian culture Italy journalist Julian Sax Kabul killed Sax knew La Stampa Lidia Lisa's London look lunch Madrid Matisse Matteo Matteo Esse meet murder never novel obsessed organise an exhibition painter painting Paris Patagonia Perhaps Picasso playboy portrait PROVENCE realise relationship Rome Sax lives Sax's seduce Sidney Wallace sitting social class Sole story studio talent talked about Sax tell Tessa things thought told Tony's took Rossa understand Velázquez Venice Biennale What's wife win Lisa woman women write a book young وو