"This first novel from historian and critic Popkin details the art scene of post-Colonial America. At the center of the story is John Lewis Krimmel (1786-1821), an artist today revered for his depiction of working Americans and urban scenes. The novel follows Krimmel and his contemporaries as they travel through Philadelphia and Baltimore sketching merchants, musicians, and celebrations in town squares. The clash between romanticism and reason in art escalates as arguments among Krimmel, members of his sketch club, and the older art establishment lead to violence and eventually death..."--Library Journal.