Reviewed by Francine
As an artist and novelist this particular novel incited
interest for no other reason but the blue pigment so sought after by artisan
potters and early manufacturers of glazed pottery. Early imports of Chinese
blue and white porcelain to Europe in the latter half of the 17th
century wrought bitter envy of the almost translucent quality of
Chinese porcelain, which rendered it priceless to all but the aristocracy. In
short, the Dutch perfected (blue delftware minus translucence 1600s). But Johan
Friedrich Böttger (German Alchemist 1700s) is acclaimed as the father of
European porcelain by perfecting that same translucent fineness to the porcelain
itself. Whilst there is conflicting evidence suggesting Johan stole the formula
from his master alchemist Ehrenfried Walther von Tscirnhaus, the author refers
to the former as backdrop to her story, "The
Blue".
Thus, set against the background of fierce industrial
espionage and theft, Ms Bilyeau has cleverly crafted a novel beset with rivalry
and murderous intent. Forced by her grandfather to leave London and decorate
mere plates at a Derby porcelain works, the rebel minded Genevieve Planche sets
out to realise her true artistic dream by committing to wilful deception. Equally
on a quest to obtain a secret formula for translucent blue pigment, a dashing and
charming Sir Gabriel Courtenay enlists the help of the disillusioned young
would-be artist. Her imagined simple task at her appointed place of work soon tests
her loyalties to differing people, and extreme guilt prevails. Worse, romantic entanglements
past and present reveal her naivety to the ways of men, and a dream fulfilled by
Courtenay is a price she is unwilling to pay and must suffer the consequences,
unless—. Here is where I shall end my
review in order to avoid ruination of a suspenseful story, except to say the
novel is well written and reveals a great deal of history relevant to the
protagonist’s lifetime and that of her family heritage.
Reviewer asides: I can see the likelihood of a sequel to this
novel, for it was not beyond the scope for a female artist to become a
respected portraitist in Genevieve’s lifetime and beforehand. The 17th century
female portraitists, Joan Carlile and Mary Beale were admired and respected,
and 18th century Angelica Kauffman and Mary Moser were female founders of the
Royal Academy of Arts in London in 1768. The aforementioned are but a few of the
great female painters of their respective eras.
