The first time I visited Venice as a wide-eyed teenager, I knew I was supposed to buy Murano glass, but I had no idea why. All I knew was that I was whisked to the famous “glass island” on an overcrowded, stinky boat. I waited behind two dozen American and Japanese tourists to pay an exorbitant price for a little glass fish—what a bewildering experience!
Still, it was the artistic traditions of the world that lured me back and inspired me to study the great artists of the past. Living in Europe and Latin America, I realized that in many places, centuries-old craft traditions are still living traditions. So began my quest to discover craftspeople passing on a special kind of knowledge to the next generation. I never tire of the stories and the people behind the world’s most enduring artistic traditions—everything from Murano glass to Limoges porcelain, balsamic vinegar, Chinese silk and cowboy boots.
The story of The Gondola Maker, my first work of fiction, germinated inside my head while I was busy researching another book called Made in Italy. The contemporary Italian artisans I interviewed, one after another, told me how important it was to them to pass on the torch of tradition to the next generation. I began to wonder what would happen if the successor were not able or willing to take on that duty. The characters of the gondola maker and his heirs began to take shape. The story intrigued me so much that I felt compelled to write about it.
Working as an art historian involves three things: teaching, researching, and writing. Doing art historical research is a passion for me, and I also love being in the classroom and sharing the history of art with my students. Writing for scholarly journals takes years of training and discipline. I have great respect for the craftsmanship of academic writing and for those who practice it. However, personally, after writing within the conventions of academic scholarship for some years, I began to feel like I was going to burst!
One day I found myself yawning in the audience of a scholarly conference, and I realized that there was something fundamentally wrong. After all, the history of art is the most fascinating topic in the world! Why do we scholars insist on making it dull and inaccessible? I realized then that, not only did I see an opportunity, I felt called to share the excitement of art history with a broader audience through my writing.
What draws you to art historical fiction? Drop a comment below. I love to hear your feedback!
What’s the difference between art and craft?
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Dropping into a particular time/place. It’s magic!
Benjamin–I agree! 🙂
Posted my coment in Facebook
YES indeed. And it’s even better if you are the one that enabled some resurrection from the rubble #Herodium or just conserve some building for future generations #Uzès #Milan.
Thank you, Francesca, for sharing this story! –Laura
I love period novels because it is an opportunity for me to learn the history, and read how the characters in the novel relate to the times and each other. It affords me a learning experience which stays with me and which I enjoy passing along to others. You have such a talent and are able to impart this to your readers. I love both of your novels!!!
Thank you so much, Pat!
Kind of off the track but, I’m reading “Italian Days” now and there are so many references to artist and their work and I can hardly wait to GOOGLE each one.
Thank you, Jerry!
Art historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. I love reading books that are period pieces in the geographies I’ve not visited yet. When the writing is really good, I can see the characters and how they are dressed, see what they see, smell what they smell, and dine as they do. It’s like stepping into their time on Earth.
Historical fiction brings a time period a nd the people who live then alive in a way history books do not. It makes me care about the people, and in the case of your two books, it makes me care for the craftsmanship the people tackle. I crochet an counted-cross stitch, which are both time consuming, and I hate giving them as gifts to people who do not appreciate the effort. Historical novels help me appreciate the work, dedication and pride that has gone into each item made.
I am so often appalled when I hear politicians or journalists make comments that show how little they know their history. Of course, the “history” we have is what the historians wrote, usually the winners of a conflict. Historical fiction brings the past back to life, and quite often presents things in a light the academic misses. The old saw of standing on the shoulders of… can be felt in historical novels. As Benjamin wrote, it’s magic to be transported back in time and feel like one is truly there, feeling, seeing, hearing, tasting…understanding the human motives behind the history.
I love reading of people and the times they lived in. It’s interesting to understand how society, beliefs and traditions shaped every aspect of life.
Thanks for your comment, Elaine. I agree! 🙂 –Laura
History is about people, and the chance to learn about people who might have lived alongside the Big Characters in the history books is what drives me to well-researched, well-written historical fiction of all kinds. Art is how the people of an era express the effects of everything happening around them, so it is a way to explore and understand history through those priceless artworks left behind for us to experience. Historical art fiction helps to annotate those artifacts and place them in context. It would take me years to obtain the knowledge an author can provide in a single volume.
I’ve studied American Civil War history going to battlefields small towns Washington etc. there’s so many stand out individuals to study and putting yourself back in their timeframe with a bigger picture by going more into depth with the individuals; interesting
Your art historical novels bring the subject to life. The artists were people and they come to life with passions, warts and all. Looking at a painting or sculpture either in person or on the ‘net and then reading about its creator and what went into the creation is exciting stuff.
Thank you so much, David! –Laura
Hi Laura,
I’ve read and enjoyed several of your wonderful books., by the way, and have one on the shelf. My love for history and reading, in general, met up with the world of Italian Renaissance and Baroque art in college. It’s been uphill ever since, so thank you for what you do so well.
My husbands family arrived in New Mexico with the last conquistador, Juan de Onate in 1598. In Las Vegas New Mexico there is a tin smith that learned his trade from family that have been smiths for generations. In Spain they used silver but in New Mexico people were isolated for many years and used what the had on hand such as tin cans and still made beautiful items.
I loved listening to the artists stories.
Your stories are pure enjoyment. I can get lost in a time and place I will never know. These people, who we know through their work, saw the same sun, moon and stars we do today and you have connected them to us by their life stories. Thank you and please continue educating and entertaining us.
You might want to know that my historical novel “Cupid and the Silent Goddess”, which imagines how Bronzino’s “Allegory with Venus and Cupid” might have been created in Florence in 1544, will be republished in May after first being published in 2003.
See: https://www.pagedor.co.uk/books/p/cupid-and-the-silent-goddess-alan-fisk
I love art, I love history so in college the art history course was amazing to me no matter how boring the professor made it and believe me he did. It’s the love of art that draws me in to literature.
Great historical fiction brings the past alive. It doesn’t concentrate on events and the famous. It makes me feel that I am witnessing peoples lives.
Gaining a BA mainly in art history left me with the desire to travel and see works and places I’d read about. First chance I had I was off to Florence and Sienna, loved it! Can’t wait to go again as soon as possible.. it has left me with interest in how people lived and were inspired to produce the works they did. Art history books like yours help fulfil this interest.
All paintings and portraits are telling a story…but not in words. :0) I love to read historical fiction about the artist who painted them or their sitter/model. Or, even more so, hmmm if they would be used as inspiration to an author to write historical novel or family saga about what the author painted, and may be seen/interpreted in the face or place/ background in a painting. I used to look at a paintings and make up stories about who they were and their lives. I as a pre teen was intrigued by this painting https://www.thehistoryofart.org/giorgione/laura/ because my name was Laura , and i did look a bit like the young woman in the portrait. lol however I did not feel that she was happy. and I wanted a story for her that ended happy for her. I was also drawn to this portrait
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/lorenzo-lotto-portrait-of-a-woman-inspired-by-lucretia and was thrilled to finally see it in person 2019 along with so many other works of art that I had admired in my books as a child. esp the Dutch artists Pieter de Hoochs!work including Nicholas Mayes, ect…when visiting the London National Gallery.
Luckily as I child my parents had a small collection of art books on the worlds great museums with wonderful color pictures and on rainy days I would love to lay on the floor and spend hours looking through them. There were many other paintings too that I would make up stories about these women even thought I actually knew nothing about the actual person/people, just from the era, dress and what was going on in the background. I would read the descriptions in the book but that often left me bit unenlightened so I made up my own stories. Esp in paintings like Pieter de Hooh hsttps://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.1172.html and others! I would love to see novels about these scenes.. Sincerely, Laura Willyard
corrected link to the Bedroom by Pieter de Hooch https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.1172.html
Reading historical novels creates within me a Sherlock Holmes effect. I study each footnote with a tablet and pen, making notes for future readings. You might say I binge read. I just finished a binge read on the Titanic. Looking forward to starting the journey with your books
When I read historical fiction I immerse myself into the time period and imagine what it would be like living in that time with the characters in the novel. It is such an exciting and enlightening experience. I learn so much with every novel and feel like I need to research and learn so much more! My favorite courses in college were Art History – melded with historical fiction it’s a marriage made in heaven!