Pierre thought he knew his Uncle Charles well. He had worked with him on a daily basis for fifteen years, assisting the austere art historian in his studies. Yet after Charles' death, Pierre finds a diary in which his uncle confessed to a secret, heartbreaking love affair. Pierre's search for the truth leads him to Judith, the woman his uncle so passionately loved, and when he meets her daughter Sarah, he finds that his own life will be changed forever. Beaussant's superbly crafted narrative effortlessly conveys the author's passion for art to the reader.

Pushkin Collection editions feature a spare, elegant series style and superior, durable components. The Collection is typeset in Monotype Baskerville, litho-printed on Munken Premium White Paper and notch-bound by the independently owned printer TJ International in Padstow. The covers, with French flaps, are printed on Colorplan Pristine White Paper. Both paper and cover board are acid-free and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified.

Philippe Beaussant is a novelist and musicologist. He has written several works of fiction besides Rendezvous in Venice, and is the author of numerous books on the history and art of the baroque era. He was awarded the Brive French Language Prize in 2001 and the Literary Prize of the Prince Pierre of Monaco Foundation in 2004.