Pierre Grassou

'Pierre Grassou' is a short story by French author Honoré de Balzac. The story follows the life of Pierre Grassou de Fougères, a mediocre and unoriginal painter who lives off painting imitative works commissioned by an old swindler and art-dealer named Elias Magus. Grassou paints works in the style of Titian, Rembrandt, and other famous artists. Magus passes these off as genuine and sells them for a large profit to members of the Petite bourgeoisie who are incapable of appreciating good art.