Laurent Binet’s Perspective is a masterful epistolary novel that transports readers to 16th-century Florence, where art, politics, and murder intertwine in a complex tapestry of intrigue. Through a series of meticulously crafted letters between historical figures, Binet creates a multidimensional mystery that—like its Renaissance setting—requires readers to consider multiple perspectives to discern the truth.
The novel begins with the discovery of renowned painter Jacopo da Pontormo’s body in the San Lorenzo chapel, stabbed through the heart with his own chisel. Above him are the controversial frescoes he spent eleven years creating—works that rival Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel in ambition if not in public reception. When investigators search Pontormo’s studio, they discover an even more shocking item: a painting of Venus and Cupid in which the goddess’s face has been replaced with that of Maria de’ Medici, the Duke of Florence’s eldest daughter.
A Tapestry of Voices and Viewpoints
Binet’s decision to tell this story entirely through correspondence creates a brilliant narrative structure that mirrors the title’s multiple meanings. Just as Renaissance perspective techniques gave paintings depth and dimension, the varying viewpoints of the letter writers provide depth to the mystery and to our understanding of the historical period. Each correspondent offers their own angle on events, colored by their biases, ambitions, and limited knowledge.
The primary investigator, Giorgio Vasari—art historian, painter, and author of Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects—methodically gathers evidence while reporting to his patron, Duke Cosimo de’ Medici. Meanwhile, Maria de’ Medici confides in her aunt Catherine de’ Medici (the Queen of France), who herself plots with the exiled Florentine marshal Piero Strozzi. Other correspondents include Michelangelo (writing from Rome), artists Agnolo Bronzino and Benvenuto Cellini, and even two Dominican nuns with ties to the infamous Savonarola.
This format allows Binet to subtly reveal information, withhold crucial details, and introduce red herrings. The reader becomes an active participant, piecing together clues from across multiple letters and evaluating the reliability of each source.
Historical Authenticity with Contemporary Relevance
What impresses most about Perspective is how Laurent Binet balances historical authenticity with accessibility. The novel is impeccably researched, filled with accurate details about Renaissance art techniques, Florentine politics, and the complex relationships between the major families of the period. Yet the writing never feels didactic or overly academic.
Consider this passage where Michelangelo reflects on perspective in art:
“Perspective is infinity brought within reach of all who have eyes to see. Our mortal perception did not and could not grasp the notion of infinity, so we thought. But, by grace of the painters who mastered optical effects, this miracle was made possible: we can see beyond. Our eyes can see through walls.”
Such observations make the philosophical and artistic debates of the Renaissance feel immediate and relevant to contemporary readers. The letters discuss issues that still resonate today: the tension between artistic freedom and political power, the relationship between art and morality, and the struggle for personal liberty in a restrictive society.
Layers of Mystery and Meaning
The novel operates on multiple levels simultaneously:
- Murder mystery: Who killed Pontormo and why?
- Political thriller: The power struggles between the Medicis, the exiled Strozzi faction, and foreign powers
- Art historical examination: Debates about artistic styles and the transition from High Renaissance to Mannerism
- Character study: Intimate portraits of historical figures revealed through their private correspondence
- Love story: Maria de’ Medici’s forbidden romance with her father’s page
This multilayered approach means different readers can appreciate the novel for different reasons. Art enthusiasts will enjoy the detailed discussions of technique and style, while history buffs will appreciate the political machinations. Those simply looking for an engaging mystery will find the central whodunit compelling enough on its own.
Strengths and Weaknesses
What Makes the Novel Exceptional
- Innovative structure: The epistolary format perfectly suits the material, allowing for multiple perspectives without the need for an omniscient narrator.
- Character development: Despite never seeing characters interact directly, their personalities emerge vividly through their writing styles and concerns.
- Historical immersion: Binet recreates Renaissance Florence with remarkable detail, from artistic techniques to street life to the mechanics of political power.
- Thematic depth: The novel explores meaningful questions about art, truth, power, and perspective without ever becoming didactic.
Where the Novel Occasionally Falters
- Complexity: The large cast of characters and multiple overlapping plots can be challenging to follow, especially in the novel’s middle section.
- Pacing: The epistolary format sometimes results in repetition as events are described multiple times from different perspectives.
- Historical liberties: While most details are historically accurate, Binet takes creative license with certain aspects of the story that might trouble purists.
- Resolution: The ultimate explanation for Pontormo’s murder might strike some readers as either too neat or too fantastical, depending on their expectations.
Comparison to Binet’s Previous Works
Those familiar with Binet’s earlier novels will recognize his trademark blending of historical fact with fiction. In HHhH (2010), he examined the assassination of Nazi leader Reinhard Heydrich while constantly questioning his own authority as narrator. The Seventh Function of Language (2015) turned the death of philosopher Roland Barthes into a literary conspiracy thriller.
Perspective by Laurent Binet continues this pattern but with even greater confidence and control. Unlike HHhH, which included meta-commentary on the writing process, or The Seventh Function of Language, which veered into outright satire, this novel maintains its historical fiction premise with impressive consistency.
Civilizations (2019), which imagined an alternate history where the Incas conquered Europe, demonstrated Binet’s growing ambition. Perspective continues that trajectory, creating an equally bold counterfactual narrative but anchoring it more firmly in documented history.
For Readers of Historical Fiction and Art History
Fans of Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose will appreciate the intellectual depth and historical setting of Perspective by Laurent Binet. The novel also recalls Iain Pears’ An Instance of the Fingerpost in its use of multiple narrators to gradually reveal a complex truth.
Art history enthusiasts might compare it to works like Sarah Dunant’s Renaissance novels or Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch, though Binet’s approach is more formally innovative than either. The detailed discussions of technique and artistic philosophy bring to mind Tracy Chevalier’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, but with a broader historical canvas.
Final Assessment
Perspective by Laurent Binet is a remarkable achievement that succeeds on multiple levels. It works as a gripping murder mystery, a detailed historical recreation, and a meditation on art and truth. Binet’s command of Renaissance history and art theory is impressive, but his greatest achievement is making these elements serve a compelling narrative rather than overwhelming it.
The novel reminds us that all historical understanding is itself a matter of perspective—we see the past through particular lenses, with certain details highlighted and others obscured. By embracing this complexity rather than simplifying it, Binet has created a work that honors both the history it depicts and the intelligence of its readers.
Key Takeaways
- Innovative structure: The epistolary format perfectly reinforces the novel’s themes about perspective and truth
- Historical depth: Impeccably researched with vivid details about Renaissance Florence
- Character complexity: Historical figures emerge as fully realized characters with distinct voices
- Thematic richness: Explores art, politics, and power without sacrificing narrative momentum
- Multilayered narrative: Works simultaneously as murder mystery, political thriller, and art historical examination
Perspective by Laurent Binet is that rare historical novel that manages to be intellectually stimulating, emotionally engaging, and genuinely entertaining. By examining the pivotal cultural moment when Renaissance ideals were giving way to Mannerism and the Counter-Reformation, Binet has created a work that not only illuminates the past but also speaks to our present understanding of art, truth, and how perspective shapes everything we see.
Perspective is a good read for its innovative structure, historical depth, and thematic richness. While occasionally challenging to follow due to its complex cast of characters and interwoven plotlines, it rewards patient readers with a uniquely satisfying literary experience that brings Renaissance Florence vividly to life.
