The Portrait (By Aldous Huxley)

About Author
➢ Mr. Aldous Huxley is one of the most brilliant writer in late 20th English literature.
➢ He is a well known Novelist ,who is particularly noted for his satire and humanism.
➢ The portrait by Aldous Huxley, appeared in Harper’s monthly magazine ,Dec 1922.
➢ Born in England in 1894,he was the grandson of Thomas Huxley ,the biologist who influenced Darwin and the great
nephew of Mathew Arnold.
➢ After reading the story ,you will come to know how people fall as a victim to the wonderful sales talks given by the
salesperson.

Main Characters
Mr.Bigger The Businessman
Lord of manor Victim
summary
➢ The story open with Mr. Bigger , a businessman shows many French and English paintings to Lord of manor, but the Lord of
Manor is not interested in the modern paintings.
➢ He asks for real and old pictures ,such as Rembrandt, Sir Joshua Reynolds.
➢ The lord of manor want to keep old painting in the reception room as he believes that “ an old masters is a symbol of
social superiority”.
➢ Mr.Bigger shows a venetian portrait and it appears to luminous(Bright),but the lord wishes to get an old painting which
looks dark and gloomy.
➢ He wanted something more ancestor like painting.
➢ Now Mr.Bigger tells the lord of manor that a story is connected with the painting of venetian picture.
➢ The lord of manor is very much interested in knowing the story of the portrait(venetian painting).
➢ Story within a story.
➢ Mr.Bigger begins the story by telling that the lady indicating the portrait with the wave of the hand was the wife of Forth
Earl of Hurtmore.
➢ The Family is now extinct. Lord Hurtmore wants his wife’s portrait to be painted.
➢ Giangolini ,a young venetian painter took the job of painting lady Hurtmor’s portrait.
➢ Giangolini has an enormous technique as perfect as his artistic technique.
➢ Lady Hurtmore falls in love with him.
➢ Lady Hurtmore decides to elope with Giangolini with her family jewels . Giangolini’s friend help them in getting false passport.
They decided to flee on the last sitting.

➢ On the last day of painting when they are ready to move, unfortunately they were caught by Lord Hurtmore. Lord Hurtmore
takes away the jewels box.

➢ Later Lady Hurtmore decides to live with her husband Lord Hurtmore.

➢ Lord Hurtmore gets the portrait of his wife from the painter’s studio through his servant. Thus Bigger ends the story of
portrait.

➢ Mr. Bigger demands seven hundred and fifty pounds for that Venetian painting. But the Lord of manor gives a cheque of six
hundred and eighty pounds .

➢ Mr. Crowley, a poor young modern painter comes to meet mr.Bigger. Actually the venetian painting which Mr. Bigger sold to
the Lord of manor is drawn by the modern painter Mr.Crowley.

➢ Thus Mr. Bigger with his excellent business talk managers to sell a painting worth twenty-five pound to Six hundred and eighty
pound.