Thriller Laurent Binet “Prospects”: a murdered artist and daring facts

1557. The artist Jacopo and Pontomo was found dead next to his unfinished last work, frescoes in the Florentine Church of San Lorenzo. Definitely with his chisel, killed by his hammer. Why? And from whom? Georgio Vasari begins to look for potential criminals and their motives …

Which acts as a researcher in this novel is a fictitious version of the really lived by Georgio Vasari, the architect, the artist and the most important modern chronicle of the Italian Renaissance. In Lorant Bin, he also becomes the chronicler of this fictional historical murder; Because Roman Bina is a letter novel.

In addition to Vasari and various artists with whom he rewrites, members of the family of Medici and other contemporaries appear, because in addition to the investigation of the murder, another important strand of actions passes through the novel: the intrigue of the French Catherine Catherine de Medus against her cousin Kozimo Medici, to which she is in Florence. However, in the innocent sacrifice of this intrigue, the beautiful seventeen -seventeen years of Kosimo will be.

Thus, two crimes, and none of them could be disclosed, will ultimately redeem, even if the killer in Pontormos recognizes at the end. Laurent Bonet, who is not only a writer, but also a studied historian, developed a formally witty forensic experiment with “prospects” and turned it into a pseudo -historical novel.

Two crimes, not one

Pseudo is also gistory, since the writers of letters formulate in today’s colloquial language (it can be assumed that the translation of Christian Vachinger follows the original in it). Otherwise, however, the novel is largely correct with data and facts. The lateral entertainment for those who are interested in the history of art are aesthetic clashes in which the artist’s scene during the Florentine manner is used and clearly emphasizes Bina.

Among the frescoes, which the murdered Pontormo could no longer complete, also (the famous) idea of ​​the flood on which a bunch of a dead human body is painted in such a miserable naked nudity that this sharp should resort to Khrudis. Not only the pious Princess of the Medici, but also the biographer of Pontus Vasari can complain a lot in his art and lifestyle.

Colleagues -artists Cellini and Michelangelo appear as opposite poles: Cellini, (historically guaranteed) the sadly known violent criminal, acts in the novel as a person who wants the intriguing queen of France and passes through corpses. The old Michelangelo, in turn, working in the Sistine chapel in remote Rome, is considered in his correspondence with Vasari, as a wise guide – the role that the old will ultimately lead to the absurd itself.

Exciting letter Roman

The charm of the novel lies in the impudent projection of historical facts and people in offensive fiction and in tension between both. This unfolds in the connection of letters, in the contrast of numerous various narrative “prospects”. On the other hand, in fact, this is not about the prospect of painting, but it is very surprising that it still has an effective appearance at the very end: as control and a deadly element of action.

The statement that this novel is generally very built is published, the artificiality of his actions should not be considered as criticism, but as recognition of the artistic consequences of the author. This is exactly what it proves absolutely favorable processing of his object.