The Philistines

Arthur Fenton arrives in Boston with a reputation for blunt honesty and a restless urge to reshape his life. By marrying Edith Caldwell, whose uncle Peter Calvin dominates the city’s art‑patronage, he secures a foot in a world where wealth and taste intersect. Calvin, a self‑styled modern Apollo, offers Fenton the chance to prove his worth on a grand stage.

Using his quick wit and natural charm, Fenton soon becomes the town’s most sought‑after portraitist. He learns that a painter’s success depends as much on persuasive conversation as on brushwork, and he readily supplies the flattering “shams” his affluent clients expect. His paintings line the halls of the elite, each commission a step up the social ladder.

Yet the climb exacts a price. Former comrades from his bohemian days drift away, uneasy with his newfound prosperity. As Fenton navigates fame, he must confront whether his ambition justifies the compromises that accompany it.