La Bete Humaine_, a subsequent work in the
Rougon-Macquart series.

L'Oeuvre.

A novel dealing with artistic life in Paris towards the close of the
Second Empire.

Claude Lantier, the eldest son of Auguste Lantier and Gervaise Macquart
(_La Fortune des Rougon_ and _L'Assommoir_), had been educated at
Plassans by an old gentleman who was interested in his childish skill in
drawing. His benefactor died, leaving him a sum which yielded an annual
income of a thousand francs, and he came to Paris to follow an artistic
career. There he met Dubuche, Pierre Sandoz, and others of his former
schoolboy friends, and the little band formed a coterie of revolutionary
spirits, whose aim was to introduce new ideas and drastic changes into
the accepted canons of art. Claude attempted to embody his theories in a
picture which he called _Plein Air_ ("Open Air") in which he went direct
to nature for inspiration, and threw aside all recognized conventions.
The picture was refused by the committee of the _Salon_, and when
subsequently shown at a minor exhibition was greeted with derision by
the public. The artist was in despair, and left Paris with
Christine Hallegrain, a young girl between whom and himself a chance
acquaintanceship had ripened into love. They lived happily in a little
cottage in the country for several years, a son being born to them, but
Claude became restless, and they returned to Paris. Here he gradually
became obsessed by an idea for a great picture, which would show the
truth of his theories and cover his detractors with confusion. By this
time there is no doubt that his mind was becoming affected by repeated
disappointments, and that the family virus was beginning to manifest
itself in him. Everything was now sacrificed to this picture; his little
fortune was gradually encroached on, and his wife and child (he had
married Christine some time after their return to Paris) were frequently
without the necessaries of life. Christine was, however, devoted to her
husband, and did all she could to induce him to leave the picture, which
she saw was increasing his mental disturbance. This was becoming more
serious, and in the death of his child he saw only the subject of a
picture, _L'Enfant Mort_, which was exhibited at the _Salon_ and was
received with even more contempt than _Plein Air_. Despite all the
efforts of Christine, Claude returned to his intended masterpiece, and
one morning, in despair of achieving his aims,