Luncheon of the Boating Party

I recently read Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland. She takes the painting by Renoir and constructs a rich story surrounding the painting. The novel is written through the point of several of the models views. It was definitely interesting - they were all quite up in the whole "vie moderne' (modern life). The models were comprised of friends, lovers, and business acquaintances of Renoir. Obviously, the story is primarily told through the eyes of Pierre Auguste Renoir. It is a few years into the impressionist movement and the group is getting nowhere. Émile Zola writes "The Impressionists are inferior to what they undertake. The man of genius has not yet arisen." Renoir takes the challenge and the result is the Boating Party. I found this to be an enjoyable read, but it was difficult to read. There were lots of characters, and sometimes I had a little trouble keeping them all straight. However, I enjoyed the commentary on la vie moderne and the society that was Paris in the 1880's. I wonder what was truth and what was fiction. Perhaps I need to venture into some nonfiction.