The Painter From Shanghai

Reminiscent of "Memoirs of a Geisha," this novel is a re-imagining of the life of Pan Yuliang and her transformation from prostitute to post-Impressionist.

Reminiscent of "Memoirs of a Geisha," a re-imagining of the life of Pan Yuliang and her transformation from prostitute to post-Impressionist.
Down the muddy waters of the Yangtze River and into the seedy backrooms of "The Hall of Eternal Splendor," through the raucous glamour of prewar Shanghai and the bohemian splendor of 1920s Paris, and back to a China ripped apart by civil war and teetering on the brink of revolution: this novel tells the story of Pan Yuliang, one of the most talented--and provocative--Chinese artists of the twentieth century.
Jennifer Cody Epstein's epic brings to life the woman behind the lush, Cezannesque nude self-portraits, capturing with lavish detail her life in the brothel and then as a concubine to a Republican official who would ultimately help her find her way as an artist. Moving with the tide of historical events, "The Painter from Shanghai" celebrates a singularly daring painting style--one that led to fame, notoriety, and, ultimately, a devastating choice: between Pan's art and the one great love of her life.
"Luminous....An irresistable story."--Sarah Towers, "New York Times Book Review"
"A sparkling debut....Lush "--"Vogue"
"Epstein's harrowing--and historically accurate--details show that through darkness comes greatness."--"Marie Claire"
"Epstein's take on Yuliang's life is captivating to the last line.""Publishers Weekly" starred review)
"A luminous rendering of a woman whose work was her life."--"Booklist"
"A historical novel on a grand scale...reads like a fable, a dark love story, a triumphant tale of survival."--Maureen Howard, author of "The Silver Screen"
"Yuliang's story is by turns harrowing, passionate, and inspiring. A moving story, and a real page-turner too."--Binnie Kirshenbaum, author of "An Almost Perfect Moment"
"Yuliang's story is as captivating as it is chilling, vividly told, hard to put down."--Helen Schulman, author of "A Day at the Beach"
A phenomenal debut."--Joanna Hershon, author of "The German Bride"
"Plush and vibrant..."The Painter from Shanghai" combines the sweep of an epic with the persuasive, textured detail of daily life."--Michelle Wildgen, author of "You're Not You"