Do you love art, romance and Venice? Then Margaux DeRoux’ debut novel is just want you’re looking for. The story takes place between the modern day, where Rose Nelwin seeks solace after the death of her father in her work as an art restorer. One day an artist comes in with a diary belonging to artist Giovanni Lomazzo. From the moment Rose meets William the descendant of Giovanni, she is intrigued not only by what the diary contains, but also by William himself.
The novel expertly weaves a tale between Rose & William in modern day Connecticut, and Renaissance Venice where Giovanni is not only faced with failing eyesight, but a growing affection for the courtesan whose portrait he’s been commissioned to paint.
In this interview, Margaux shares about when she first came up with idea for the book, her writing process and which of the characters she’d like to meet most.
When did you first come up with the storyline for The Lost Diary of Venice?
The novel is inspired by a treatise from the Renaissance that I stumbled upon during grad school. The document was all about art, and included fascinating sketches—I just had to know more. When I researched the author, I learned he was an Italian painter who had lost his sight the same year Italy went to war against the Ottoman Empire. It was too fantastic a premise not to keep researching, and gradually the idea for a book began to blossom. Once I arrived at the historical plotline—where an artist falls in love with the courtesan he’s commissioned to paint—I developed the modern-day narrative, which focuses on an introverted book restorer grappling with her own identity and love-life.
You come from a family of painters, and your novel centers around art and artists… Who are some of the artists who inspired you for this particular novel?
The artist at the center of the novel is a real person—Giovanni Paolo Lomazzo, and the book takes place in Venice. To make his world come alive, I drew inspiration from famous Venetian painters, like Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese. During the Renaissance, there was a debate over what was more important in a painting, the color (“colorito”) or the drawing and design (“disegno”). The Venetians prized color, and as a result, their canvases are all richly hued and so lush. It was a joy to research this era and learn what artists might have influenced Giovanni as a painter.
How much did you research late Renaissance-era Venice before you first started writing the novel, and what drew you to the time period in particular?
The time period was established by Giovanni’s biography, and I have to admit, I spent perhaps too much time researching the era. I don’t have a background in creative writing, but I do have experience as a researcher. I think I researched so much in part because I was a little intimidated to start writing; in the end, though, this meant I had many useful historical details to draw upon for the novel. For any other aspiring writers who are worried about not having an MFA, I encourage you to keep going!
Did you fully plan out the characters/plot before you started writing?
This was my first novel, and the initial process was rather messy. I began by writing snippets of scenes and dialogue as they came to me, so that the novel formed itself piecemeal. After I had quite a bit of material, I went back to assess what I’d written and sort out a unifying structure. While my next book already has a much stronger outline, this first process was a marvelous learning experience for me as a writer. It allowed me to find my own voice and become acquainted with my characters in an organic way—though it did mean many scenes got edited out!
When we first meet Gio, you describe how he creates the pigments for his paints. Did you study the art of how paints were created as part of your research?
One of my favorite childhood memories is of my father sitting at the dining room table, creating homemade egg tempera for his paintings (an ancient technique of combining an egg yolk mixture with pigment to yield a glossy, rich paint). Growing up with a painter, I already knew a bit about the process of creating paint, but of course I did research the specific details of Giovanni’s era, including how raw pigments were traded between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Prior to writing the novel had you visited modern day Venice?
Yes; a dear family friend lives in Padua, near Venice. Thanks to her family’s hospitality, I had the good fortune of visiting the city more than once. I look forward to returning as soon as I’m able!
How difficult was it to go between the past and the present day during the writing process?
The extensive research I did helped to orient me when I dove into the historical chapters, while my own time as a university student informed the modern day narrative—where the central character is an academic and book restorer. I found I ended up focusing on one time period for a stretch, before switching to the other. It was so important to me that each narrative maintained its own flow and continuity.
If you could have met any of the characters in the novel in real life, who would it be?
I have to say I’d like to meet Aurelio, the alchemist. I’d love to pick his brain about the mystical practice of alchemy. Plus, he’s a fun-loving character, so of course we’d enjoy a good meal together!
Are you currently working on your next novel, and if so could you give us a sneak peek?
I am working on my next project, which has a few similar themes to The Lost Diary of Venice: a glamorous escape to a past era, lots of art, and of course a healthy dose of romance! Fingers crossed it all works out!
Pick up your copy of The Lost Diary of Venice.
On my list of audiobooks to listen to next. I love how much faster my workday goes when I’m listening to a good book!