52 pages • 1 hour read
Francine RiversThe Masterpiece
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2019A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Landscapes
A symbol that regularly appears throughout the novel is that of landscapes. Within the dominant motif of artwork, several characters comment—usually with surprise—that Roman does not paint landscapes despite being surrounded by the immense natural beauty of Topanga Canyon. Grace, by contrast, marvels at the landscape beyond his mansion the first time she sees it, and that sense of wonder is evoked again on their trip north through California when she requests Roman to stop the car so she can admire the natural landscapes around them.
It is not until Roman has gone through the crisis of his near-death experience and begun to consider faith that he first attempts to paint a landscape, based on a line that Grace draws for him on his canvas. Thus, the ability to marvel at the beauty of a landscape and the desire to paint one symbolizes the characters’ awareness and appreciation of God’s artistry. At the beginning of the novel, Roman is unaware of the masterpiece of God’s design right outside his own window; similarly, he is also unaware of the way that God has been bringing beauty out of the pain of his own life. However, by the end of the novel, Roman acknowledges the work of God in his life as a masterpiece and seeks to emulate God’s artistry in his artistic creations.
Characters’ Names
Many of the characters’ names serve as symbols in the novel. Roman has three names, each of which represents a separate identity: His artistic pseudonym is Roman; his childhood name is Bobby Ray Dean; and his street tag is “the Bird.” Each name speaks to the way he hides from his past and from public attention. His given name of Bobby Ray is reserved for use only by those who know the heartbreak and turmoil of his childhood history, while his graffiti tag of “the Bird” represents his desire to escape from his past troubles as well as the straitlaced nature of the contemporary art world. In this way, Roman’s names symbolize his brokenness as well as his search for his true identity. The name “Roman” itself symbolizes Roman’s journey of conversion, alluding to the Roman Empire’s history of ardently opposing Christianity to finally becoming its most fervent supporter.
Throughout the novel, Grace is insistent that her baby always be called Samuel, without reducing the name to nicknames or playful tags. This is due to the biblical significance of Samuel’s name, which means “heard by God.” His name represents Grace’s longing to hear God’s guidance in her life. Grace’s name, too, bears theological significance for the story, as “grace” is a key doctrinal idea in Christian theology; it is used in the New Testament to describe the freely given nature of God’s gift of salvation. Grace’s actions embody this concept, and she is a living example of this divine grace. Her faith in God not only helps her to heal from her traumatic experiences, but she also inspires Roman to seek healing and salvation.
Hidden Designs in Paintings
A motif that appears throughout the novel is that of the hidden designs in Roman’s paintings. Roman expresses his true emotions and anxieties in the hidden designs within his larger artworks. Grace is the one who notices these hidden designs and calls attention to them, showing that she is naturally attuned to Roman’s true nature, even though he tries to disguise it.
This motif shows up early in the novel when Grace notices a detail in a mural that Roman is confident everyone will overlook: He has hidden a macabre scene of a lion devouring a baby giraffe in a family-friendly mural for a zoo. This detail highlights the pain and darkness in Roman’s own story, despite the outward success of his everyday life. Later, at Masterson Ranch, Grace notices references in one of Roman’s old paintings that everyone else has overlooked for years—nods to his old street friends who were killed when he was growing up, which signify his struggles with death and loss. Toward the end of the novel, the motif surfaces again when Roman wonders if Grace will notice the hidden hints of his newfound faith in his work. Grace does, indeed, notice these, and they inspire her to give Roman another chance. Not only does the motif reinforce the theme of Roman’s Search for Genuine Identity and Purpose, but it also highlights The Journey From Brokenness to Healing. The fact that it is Grace who notices these hidden details also adds a poignancy to their romance, since she alone is uniquely attuned to who Roman is.
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By Francine Rivers
