The Madonna of the Future

Henry James (1843 - 1916) was one of the leaders in the school of realism in fiction. He is known for his series of novels in which he portrayed the encounter of America with Europe. James is considered to be the master of the novel and novella. James wrote about personal relationships and the power within these relationships. James explored consciousness and perception from the point of view of a character within a tale. James begins by setting the scene for this charming story. A group of men are relaxing after dinner. A small picture is being passed around. The comment is made that this artist had painted this one beautiful work and that was his only claim to greatness. The question was posed as to how often a single person produces one great work and then nothing else. This is where the story begins.