Manual of painting and calligraphy

The painter H. continues to practice the art of portraiture even in the age of photography. The rich heads he paints are well-received in the boardrooms and villas of Lisbon. However, during a routine commission, he finds himself in a crisis. His inner self resists the idea of enhancing portraits and concealing what should not be shown. Initially, he settles for secretly creating a parallel portrait, reflecting his own view of the subject, which he does not dare confront. After a trip to Italy following in the footsteps of Renaissance artists, he embarks on an unwelcome commission once again, but this time he refuses to succumb to the expected kitsch, triggering a scandal that could cost him his existence. All of this coincides with the intrusion of political reality into his life and that of a love. Finally, H. experiences a new existential authenticity that enables him to...