Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for The Lost Masterpiece by B. A. Shapiro

1. Berthe and Tamara are both independent minded, strong-willed women. Did you see commonalities in their choices as the story progressed? How were they different?
2. In this novel, Berthe Morisot and Èdouard Manet have a passionate affair. Do you think their infidelity was justified? Why or why not?
3. How familiar were you with art history before picking up this book? What did The Lost Masterpiece teach you about art history that you didn't know previously?
4. How did you react to Tamara's relationship with Wyatt? Do you think they are good together? Did your perception of them change throughout the book?
5. What did you think of Suzanne and Eugène? Do you sympathize with them? Do you like or dislike them as characters?
6. Impressionism was not popular at first, many critics calling the brushstrokes sloppy and incomplete. Why do you think this is? Did this surprise you, given how popular Impressionism is today?
7. While some events of the book are fictionalized, it's true that the Nazis stole art, among other property, from Jewish families. How did reading about these events affect your perception of ownership and art?
8. Berthe's career was hindered because she was a woman. Male artists like Manet and Degas have been enshrined in art history, while it seems that Berthe Morisot is left behind. Do you see any parallels in other situations at that time? Parallels to today?
9. Some of the artists in the book were able to paint because they come from wealthy families. How has wealth influenced art across history and various cultures? How can you tell?
10. This book touches upon the importance of lineage. How does the book depict the tragic destruction of lineage by the Holocaust and the fracturing of Jewish families?
11. What would you have done if you were in Tamara's position? Would you have kept the painting, sold it, or given in to Damien's demands? Why?
12. How did you think the story was going to end? Did the ending surprise you?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Algonquin Books. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.