The famous French novelist, laureate of the Prix Goncourt, Pascal Quignard, author of the novels and stories known to Russian readers “All the Mornings of the World”, “Notes on Tablets...”, “Staircases of Chambord”, “Albutius” and the essay “Sex and Fear” only he has the gift of penetration into the most complex inner world of the artist, he is characterized by a rare talent of restraint, noble simplicity of style, precious laconicism, which says much more than verbose discussions about beauty. Beauty, according to Quinnard, is simple, and simplicity (if taste and erudition are behind it) is beautiful, just as simple and beautiful are the black and white prints of the hero of the novel - Mouma-Graver, an artist of the 17th century, created by a writer from the 20th.