The painter Basil Hallward is greatly impressed by the beauty of a young
man- Dorian Gray - an he decides to make a portrait of him.
Once the work complete and Dorian sees it, he realizes how beautiful he actually is and after placing the painting -which Basil had given him as present- in one of his rooms he conteplates it with real envy and makes a wish: that of remaining forever young and beatiful while the painting would bear the
changes brought by life and the passing of time, changes meant in fact to him. His wish comes true. And Dorian is aware of the fact that he can do anything he pleases, no none will ever think him capable of doing anything wrong or harmful, because no trace of that will be noticeable in his flawless appearance. So he behaves accordingly.
But nothing he does makes him happy or satisfied and the
ending of the novel means the ending of his false youth and beauty as well as life.