Chapter 2 Summary

Pierre Sandoz, an aspiring writer and lifelong friend of Claude, drops in while Claude is hard at work on his big canvas. Sandoz is modeling as the fully clothed man in the painting to help Claude avoid the expense of another model. Claude is trying to finish the canvas in six months to prove to himself he is not completely hopeless as an artist. His goal is to enter the painting in the Salon at the École des Beaux-Arts, which is an annual event where a committee selects paintings, sculpture, and architectural design to be displayed in its exhibition. Sandoz is a writer and usually has a book of poetry with him wherever he goes. As he poses for Claude, the two of them discuss their school days which were the beginnings of their Bohemian lifestyle. They were influenced by Victor Hugo and...