Two Studios

In Victorian London, two studios stand as opposing worlds: one where Charles Everitt paints in stubborn independence, refusing to compromise his vision for commercial success, and another where young Kitty Lascelles struggles to find her voice as an artist in a society that doubts women's abilities. When Everitt volunteers to disguise himself as a model for Kitty, the arrangement sparks playful complications and unexpected revelations about identity, art, and the boundaries we construct between ourselves and others. Peard weaves together humor and genuine insight into the Victorian art world, exploring how artists navigate the tension between creative integrity and practical necessity. The novel's charm lies in its gentle subversion of expected roles, a male painter becoming a female artist's subject, while asking questions about gender, authenticity, and what it means to truly see and be seen. For readers who enjoy Victorian literature that blends comedy of manners with thoughtful meditation on creativity and selfhood.