At first published in 1983, he is question in fact of one of first roman of writer who was the co-director to newpaper ''Diario de Noticias" during many years before to know the literary glory to begin of heighties. Truly treaty, to strong play connotation, on the relation between the pictural art and the writing, the Manual set on stage a painter named H, as the great fustration is that he isn''t be artist. In fact, our heros and narrator won this life in answering to the order of official portrait of company chief or of "bourgeoise" family as the first worry is the ressemblance of draw and of model. We rent him for that, however he is the best. He must do the portrait of unpleseant business mens, appoint the S letter, H interrogate him on the truth who he must to his model. "The biological truth?" The mental truth, or affective, or economic, or cultural or social or administrative ? The truth of temporary lover and of protector of the young Olga, his fifth secretary? Or the conjugal truth? The one of husband who deceived ? The one of husband decieved to his turn? The one of bridge and golf player ? The one of fascits governement? The one of Colonne water as he sprinkle? The one of the brand of three cars? The one of sexual obsessions? In pray of doubt and to the unsatifaction, he decide in hideaway to paint a second portrait of S, where he hadn''t to be concern of the ressemblance.
He write equaly a newpaper who must to help him to better understand the intricaties of creation. With the passing of meeting with his friend, of adventures with two womens and the worry with a nearest family of Salazarist power - we are in 1973, one year before the Revolution of carnation to which participate actively José Saramago -, the painter H. progess in his understanding of process of the artistic, pictural and literacy creation, where he must invest himself all his talent, in link to the society. Thank to his pure talent of storytell of author, the newpapers of H, become a truly roman, almost a politic roman, not significate to start. By his erudition and his acknowledge of art history, the Portugal and the dictatorship, the great writer José Saramago recall us that his small country is rich of one long history and of one culture own to her, in the same time specific and universal.