The Artist and the Feast, Lucy Steeds (Review by Kristin Kurek)
Rating: 5.0/5 Stars
The Artist and the Feast by Lucy Steeds was a work of art in-and-of-itself!
Joseph Adelaide is a London journalist who is granted an unlikely invitation to meet with the reclusive artist, Edouard Tartuffe, at his home in Saint-Auguste-de-Provence, France in the 1920’s. When he arrives, Joseph meets the artist and his niece, Ettie. He finds that Tartuffe’s misanthropic reputation is well-deserved. He is almost turned away immediately, but Ettie suggests that Joseph is the ideal model for Young Man with Orange, a work that Tartuffe has been interested in authoring. As time progresses, Joseph begins to notice the myriad of ways the Ettie supports Tartuffe’s work and life. Their relationship grows into one of mutual respect and understanding despite Tartuffe’s destructive and abusive presence.
The book explores various fascinating themes of art and the female artist. What makes art valuable? Why are there so few female artists throughout history? What unsung contributions have women made to the art world? The book also explores themes of abuse, gaslighting, war, and PTSD. Beside the obvious beauty of reading the book, it was an intellectual juggernaut.
The Artist and the Feast is masterfully written. The gorgeous wordsmithing made reading this novel a hedonistic experience. Steeds made me feel every aspect of the character’s experience. I was left with no ambiguity about how the juice of a peach feels on the tongue, how the light enters the room, how the heat rolls through the day, how a cool stream would feel in the dark of night… Her vivid descriptions of art and food made me desperate to share experiences with the characters. I have never read a book that left me with such intense sensory impressions. Bravo!