A Perfect Portrait

The men who frequented The Golden Boar Tavern in 1750s Weimar had no idea of Clara's secret life. They may have noticed the portraits on its walls, but they did not associate them with her struggle to be an artist and not a tavern keeper. If anything, they suspected that she might have a relationship with the Count who visited off and on, but they missed the one with the Professor. Clara Neuwirt carried on her struggle largely by herself. No famous artist father looks at us from his canvass as he drew a self portrait, surrounded by his daughters and sons. Important too, even the most famous contemporary artists are better known today than they were then. Yet the few who knew and supported her gave a gift beyond measure. Clara represents about 230 women in the eighteenth-century Germanies who created what artist Caroline Sophie Seidler called, "their own field of activity." Of these women, about 35 were well known and are still discussed today and another 50 are known by name and some of their works. "Peter Petschauer's deep love of art and his rich cultural heritage merge to create a debut novel of extraordinary nuance and force. His sharply etched characters, like a troupe of consummate actors, whisk the reader back in time and place, allowing us to be ringside as a determined 18th-century young woman confronts the challenge of establishing a career in the visual arts. A must read for those who value the command of language and the effortless flow of a wonderful story." -Noyes Capehart, author of Devil's Mark & Chameleon