In the novel, a young philosopher and his wife discover what they believe to be a lost masterpiece by a famous Renaissance artist in a dilapidated country house. As the protagonist becomes increasingly obsessed with proving the painting's authenticity and securing it for himself, he plunges headlong into a series of comic and tense situations. The narrative cleverly intertwines themes of art history, morality, and human folly, all while satirizing academic pretensions and the art world's eccentricities.

The 8972nd greatest book of all time