Le chef-d’œuvre inconnu

Le Chef-d’œuvre inconnu (English The Unknown Masterpiece) is a short story by Honoré de Balzac. It was first published in the newspaper L'Artiste with the title Maître Frenhofer (English: Master Frenhofer) in August 1831. It appeared again later in the same year under the title Catherine Lescault, conte fantastique. It was published in Balzac's Études philosophiques in 1837 and was integrated into La Comédie humaine in 1846. The work is separated into two chapters: Gillette and Catherine Lescault.Le Chef-d’œuvre inconnu is a reflection on art, and has had an important influence on modernist artists.