Masterpiece

MASTERPIECE is a beautifully written, fast-paced page-turner set in the contemporary art scene featuring celebrated Brit-artist Esther Glass. In an audacious stroke she puts herself up for sale by auction at Sotheby's as a living masterpiece, to be owned by the highest bidder for a week. For each day of her possession, she will perform as one of seven iconic women, themselves the subjects of great paintings from the past. (CHRISTINA OF DENMARK by Holbein, OLYMPIA by Manet, MADONNA OF THE PINKS by Raphael, MADAME DE SENONNES by Ingres, MRS LEYLAND by Whistler, ISABELLA D'ESTE by Leonardo da Vinci, and JUDITH AND HOLOFERNES by Klimt.) Esther's extraordinary art adventure takes her to major European galleries and the Frick in New York to research her seven selected masterpieces. Once sold, she returns to Manhattan for her week of ownership. There she is forced to confront financial corruption by her dealers, the instability of her relationships with her lovers and, on her return to London, her own intrinsic values as an artist, daughter and woman.

MASTERPIECE gives us rare access and insight into the workings of the contemporary art scene - and examines the effects of self-obsession, celebrity and greed on the part of its key players. It comes at a seminal moment when the art of sensation has possibly run its course. Where can it - and our heroine - possibly go next?