Honore de Balzac 
Unconscious Comedians 

In this novella from Honore de Balzac, the skilled artisan Palafox Gazonal arrives in Paris to settle some important business and perhaps make a splash in the city’s thriving art scene. However, Gazonal is used to the slower-paced life in the provinces and finds himself confused — and even disgusted — with some of the customs and practices that are commonplace in Paris. It’s another of Balzac’s insightful analyses of the artist and his role in society.