Portrait of a Man Known as Il Condottiere - by Georges Perec (Paperback)

About the Book

Portrait of a Man [Il Condottiere] dates from 1957-1960 and is the first novel Perec ever completed: it was rejected by Gallimard and Seuil back when Perec was "nobody," so it is ironic that Seuil has brought it out now. Back in 1960, Perec put it away, as he wrote to a friend: "Will leave it where it is, for the moment at least. Will take it up again in ten years, and it will either become a masterwork or [I] will wait in my grave for a faithful exegete to find it in an old trunk." The novel was subsequently found by David Bellos, and it is a thriller, combining art forgery and murder. The protagonist (Winkler) devotes months on end to making a fake for a client of the famous painting Il Condottiere by Renaissance artist Antonella da Messina, which is in the Louvre. As classic mysteries begin, this one starts with a murder on the first page: but it is Winkler who murders his client. The novel investigates the motive for the crime: one of its reasons will center on the forger's frustration over his inability to produce a work rivaling the original. The theme of forgery in painting crosses much of Perec's work. And the character Winckler also appears in Life: A User's Manual and in W, or the Remembrance of Childhood. Our version also includes a brief introduction by Bellos.

Book Synopsis

Puckish and playful, Georges Perec infused avant-garde and experimental fiction with a wit and wonder that belied the serious concerns and concepts that underpinned it. A prominent member of the OuLiPo, and an abiding influence on fiction writers today, Perec used formal constraints to dazzling effect in such works as A Void-a murder mystery that contains nary an "e"-and Life A User's Manual, in which an apartment building, systematically canvassed, unfolds secrets and, ultimately offers a reflection on creation, destruction, and the devotion to art.

Before embarking on these experiments, however, Perec tried his hand at a relatively straightforward novel, Portrait of a Man. His first book, it was rejected by publishers when he submitted it in 1960, after which he filed it away. Decades after Perec's death, David Bellos discovered the manuscript, and through his translation we have a chance to enjoy it in English for the first time. What fans will find here is a thriller that combines themes that would remain prominent in Perec's later work, such as art forgery, authenticity, and murder, as well as craftsman Gaspard Winckler, who whose namesakes play major roles in Life A User's Manual and W or The Memory of Childhood.

Engaging and entertaining on its own merits, and gaining additional interest when set in the context of Perec's career, Portrait of a Man is sure to charm the many fans of this postmodern master.

Review Quotes

"A fully realized and mature work of fiction that will provide Perec's fans a fuller view of his oeuvre, can serve as an accessible entry point for readers who are new to its author."-- "New York Journal of Books"

"There are glimpses of Perec's future greatness."-- "New Yorker"

About the Author

Georges Perec (1936-1982) was a French writer and a member of OuLiPo. David Bellos is professor of French and Italian and comparative literature at Princeton University, where he also serves as the director of the Program in Translation and Intercultural Communication.