Masterpiece

<h2><b>FIVE CENTURIES. FOUR LOVE STORIES. ONE PAINTING.</b></h2><p><Br><b>A story of art and war, illicit passion and personal heroism, and of four people whose lives are bound together by a single work of art from the<i> Sunday Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Improbability of Love</i>. </b></p><p>‘An exquisitely unfolding story of love and art' Esther Freud<Br>‘An enthralling meditation on the nature of art and the power of love across several centuries, superbly researched and full of memorable characters’ Anthony Horowitz<Br>'It is an extraordinary feat of storytelling that is both fascinating and gripping' Sarah Winman<Br>____________</p><p><b>TUSCANY, 1470: </b>in the bright light of a new day, an artist lies awake, imagining a fresco that will shape his future and echo down the centuries<b>.</b></p><p><b>1922:</b> A member of the Bloomsbury Group writes to her secret lover about a painting that changed her life; she believes it will change his too.</p><p><b>1944</b>: A British army captain is ordered to bomb a Tuscan hill town. Inside it hangs a painting said to be the greatest ever made. To save it, he must disobey orders, risking his career and even his freedom.</p><p><b>2014</b>: A young conservator arrives in Sansepolcro to restore Piero della Francesca’s <i>Resurrection, </i>and discovers she must preserve not only the painting but also the stories of those who saved it.</p><p><b>Drawing on real letters and unpublished diaries, this is the true story of four people who risked love and even their lives for one great masterpiece.</b></p><p>____________</p><p><b>Praise for <i>Masterpiece</i>:</b></p><p>'Dextrous, vivid and wise: a tonic and a celebration. <b>My book of the year</b>.' Cressida Connolly</p><p>'<i>Masterpiece </i>weaves history, art, war and love into <b>a page-turning, unforgettable story</b>.' Rosie Boycott</p><p>‘<i>Masterpiece</i> is Hannah Rothschild’s <b>best novel </b>by far. <b>Brilliantly researched, it is a multi-period story which is both moving and convincing</b>.’ Antony Beevor</p><p>'A<b> fast-paced, addictive page-turner, </b>as gripping as the<b> finest whodunnit' </b>Geordie Greig</p><p><b>'A marvellous exploration of what art means to the individual, </b>how it brings us together and how it helps us to communicate - across culture, time and experience - and to find our shared humanity.<b> Rich and immersive: I loved it'</b> Joanne Harris</p><p>'Hannah Rothschild proves herself a <b>natural and addictive novelist</b>' Andrew Marr</p><p>'A<b> captivating, charming, heartbreaking </b>novel that<b> celebrates a gorgeous painting</b>, a series of<b> secret love affairs </b>and the<b> joy and transience of life itself</b>, spanning history from the fifteen century to today <b>with exquisite poignancy and delicious storytelling'</b> Simon Sebag Montefiore</p><p><b>'Powerful and passionate, </b><i>Masterpiece </i>is a<b> ravishing story </b>about buried love and the art that might save us' Rachel Joyce</p><p>'<b>Emotionally consuming</b> and beautifully told' Jennie Godfrey</p><p>'<i>Masterpiece</i> maintains a <b>sharp focus on the purest of painters and the transcendent power of art</b>' Sebastian Faulks</p><p>'Rothschild's novel brings a 15th century masterpiece back to life. <b>I loved it</b>' Miranda Cowley Heller</p><p>'<b>Magnificent</b> and transportative' Katy Hessel</p>