Honore de Balzac 
Pierre Grassou 

This short story is part of the Scenes of Paris Life section of Honore de Balzac’s epic masterpiece The Human Comedy. Pierre Grassou is an artist who has many of the attributes necessary for success — but lacks that spark of creativity. Rather than painting original works, he begins painting copies of the great masterworks. Sure, it’s financially lucrative, but will it be enough to allow Grassou to find happiness?