The Easel

Archives: The New York Times

1st August 2017

Henry James, a Pooh-Bah Who Painted with Words

Henry James aspired to be a painter but had to settle for being the most famous novelist of his age. Art, and the art world, remained central to his life and were a source of ideas for his novels. It was another way to express atmosphere, to probe the opaque psychological currents of life. And he said as much:  “The analogy between the art of the painter and the art of the novelist is … complete.” An excellent video (4 min) is here.