Novels about paintings?

Irving Stone wrote another biographical novel, "Depths of Glory" about the struggles of French impressionist Camille Pizarro and the other painters of the period. The novel wasn't as dramatic as "Lust for Life," but it gave a good historical account of the more typical lives of French painters of the period.

Moulin Rouge: A novel based on the life of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
by Pierre La Mure

It's a weeper.

I saw the origianl Moulin Rouge film with Jose Ferrer.Is the book as heartweepingly emotional as the film?

I didn't see the film you mention MG.....but
prepare yourself for the end of this book...sniff, sob
(wiping away tears) boo hoo.

Ive taken note of the author and Il have a look out for it.

I like the idea of reading a story incorporating art.

Years ago I saw a drama on TV starring Helen Mirren.It was about thieves stealing work by Artemisia Gentleschi(probably spelt that wrongly).
I noticed that at the end of some scenes it replicated a painting.
The only one I can remember was Helen Mirren in a bath with her hair up in a towel, her arm over the edge of the bath and a box like a wooden removal box to the side of the bath.
Ive just tried to google the picture but cant find it.It is a medieval type pic, I think the words David and Surat were written on the box in the painting.And I think the man in the pic had tried to commit suicide.Red and white were predominant colours.

Sorry to waffle on.They probably replicated more than one painting but I only recognised the one.
I thought it was a great idea.

The painting you are referring to is "The Death
of Marat" by Jaques Louis-David

http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/his/CoreArt/art/neocl_dav_marat.html

stunning!

Ooohh I had a feeling youd know.Thanks,it would have bugged me for ages.
I was quite close on the description.Havnt looked at art book for ages.

Such a lovely but sad picture.

Had a google in IMDB and the tv series I saw Mirren in was called Painted Lady(1997).She plays a Countess who is a shady art dealer.

Thanks MG....I hope to get a chance to see it.
I do remember seeing "Lust for Life". I believe
it starred Kirk Douglas, not a great movie, imho.

Oh was that where he plays Van Gogh??I caught a bit of that years ago.

I have dozens, mostly mysteries, but am not at home to scour through them for titles a few weeks.
In the meantime, if you are so inclined you could check Amazon through the a2k home page and look for art + mysteries.

Two very, very good ones are:

"What's Bred In The Bone" by Robertson Davies
"Gould's Book of Fish" by Richard Flanagan

Another really fun read is "Edie" - the biography of Edie Sedgewick which primarily focuses on her days with Andy Warhol.

Along the same vein as "Edie" is "Milking the Moon" the biography of Eugene Walter "the best-known man you've never heard of".

And,

"The Tale of Mirasaki" an imagined life of the world's first novelist who wrote the "Tales of Genji".

Okay, not painting but art nonetheless.

I just read The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant which I can recommend. It is set in Florence during the Renaissance.

Renaissance and Florence!!Sounds like its my cup of tea.

Two novels about art that I'd recommend highly are:
ATHENA, by John Banville
A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY, by JL CARR
Both are available in paperback. The first is a mystery about art forgery. The second is a quiet but powerful character study. They are very well written, I think.

Thanks folks, a number of these titles are new to me.

Speaking of Artemisa, there was a movie a few years ago about her life and trial. Although they twisted her rape into a love story (hey, it's a French film, what would you expect), I really thought it was well done. They captured the time and place with beautiful photography, sets and costumes. However, I don't recommend the book "The Passion of Artemisa", very disappointing.

Saw that film, liked it too.
I loved the way it showed her frantically trying to master her art with loads of frantic sketches.