‘And the young woman in his picture – already he thinks of the painting as ‘his’ – who might she be? That he does not yet know.’
– Woman In Blue
[ About Woman in Blue]
‘You will live beyond one lifetime and beyond even two in the painting he makes of you.’
In the Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam, there is a painting called ‘Woman in Blue Reading a Letter’. Each day a man visits to gaze at it. He is irresistibly drawn to it. Obsessed by it. He studies the painting, in search of resolutions to his past and present loves, and the Woman in Blue studies him back. For there is more to the Woman in Blue than any of the men who gaze upon her realise. She has a story of her own to tell.
With a delicate balance of truth and fiction, past and present, Bruton masterfully explores the intersection between art, artist and viewer, arriving at a profound meditation on love and creation.
[ My Review ]
Woman in Blue by Douglas Bruton publishes today, February 20th, with Fairlight Books and is described by author Victoria Mackenzie as ‘a profound meditation on art, looking and love’. I only discovered the stunning writing of Douglas Bruton last year when I received a copy of his 2024 Hope Never Knew Horizon, a book which I said was a real piece of literary magic not to be missed. It’s really difficult to pin down exactly what it is that makes Douglas Bruton such a special writer. His unique style captures something almost ethereal and with both books being less than 200 pages, they really are quite perfectly formed and compact reads.
Vermeer’s ‘Woman in Blue Reading a Letter’ (1662-1665) is the central focus of this tale and is also the artwork featured on the cover. ‘A Man in Amsterdam’ is an anonymous writer who goes to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam on an almost daily basis. This pilgrimage leads him to this Vermeer painting where he closely studies the finer details while contemplating his own life and his marriage. As he considers his actions and how he came to be here, he starts to imagine who the woman is the painting is. Has she a name? What kind of life did she lead? But as the days pass his thoughts deepen about certain aspects of the painting – the letter in her hand, the map behind her, the paraphernalia on the table in front of her, her fashion, her hairstyle and so on. As he reaches his own conclusions he slowly starts to create a persona for her. He gives her a name and lets his imagination roam. He loses track of time and, when back home, seems to have little to say to his own wife. He is almost living an alternate existence with his days blending as he spends more and more time in her company at the Rijksmuseum.
‘I do not know at this stage where this is leading me, what it is that I am moving towards. Sometimes it feels as though I am pushing the whole story forwards; sometimes it feels as though I am being pulled along, being led toward something...’
Woman in Blue is the voice given to the artist’s model. Douglas Bruton gives her a platform to share her story, explaining how she crossed paths with Vermeer and providing an explanation for certain elements of the portrait. Her story is fascinating but it is her view of the anonymous man that is extra special. The narrative structure that Douglas Bruton uses provides a masterful shift across chapters as we are seamlessly carried back & forth between past and present. This unorthodox relationship between both narrators is portrayed with an exquisite tenderness and understanding.
In many ways Woman in Blue is quite a simple tale yet it is also very much an enriching and soulful experience. There is a lyricism to the language, incorporating a stillness, a silence, a moment of calm in our chaotic society. A very original and meditative piece of writing Woman in Blue is another extraordinarily ingenious read from Douglas Bruton with each sentence carefully crafted into a moving and profound exploration of human relationships and love. Intimate, pure and mesmeric, Woman in Blue is a book I highly recommend to all.
‘There is something more in this painting, and something that is not easily explained by the absence of a man’
*Thank you to Douglas Bruton for sending me a copy of Woman in Blue in exchange for my honest review
[ Bio ]
Douglas Bruton is the author of five previous novels: The Chess Piece Magician (2009), Mrs Winchester’s Gun Club (2019), Blue Postcards (2021), With or Without Angels (2022) and Hope Never Knew Horizon (2024). Blue Postcards was longlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2021. His short fiction has appeared in various publications including Northwords Now, New Writing Scotland, Aesthetica, The Fiction Desk and the Irish Literary Review, and has won competitions including Fish and the Neil Gunn Prize. He lives in the Scottish Borders.
Born in Edinburgh, Douglas spent most of his working life as an English and guidance teacher. Now retired, Douglas continues to reside in Scotland where he writes in his spare time. His writing has been published in various publications including Northwords Now, New Writing Scotland, Aestetica and The Irish Literary Review. His short stories have won competitions including Fish and The Neil Gunn Prize.
Brilliant review Mairead. I’m hoping to get to this one this week. I loved Hope Never Knew Horizon too.
Joanne he is a writer whose work seems to be very much under the radar. Thanks so much x
I loved this, too. He’s such an original writer which is a rare thing.
It’s that originality that appeals. Wonderful writing but I also love his approach.
I love Vermeer’s paintings, so this book is appealing. I have heard of this author and seen good reviews for his previous work. The premise of the book sounds similar to other publications like Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracey Chevalier, and The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell. Both of these authors are adept at conjuring up a story around a famous painting. It seems to be a new trend in literature now!
Lucy it’s described by the publisher as experimental as it is a quite unique style. I have a copy of The Girl with the Pearl Earring but haven’t read it yet. The Marriage Portrait is a beautiful book. Both books I have read by Douglas Bruton are wonderful reads. I hope you enjoy and thank you.