The Background by Saki (1912)
A commercial traveler from Luxembourg, Henri Deplis, receives a modest legacy that leads him to indulge in a tattoo by the renowned but impoverished artist, Signor Andreas Pincini. Deplis commissions a tattoo depicting the Fall of Icarus, which becomes Pincini's masterpiece. However, after Pincini's sudden death, Deplis struggles to pay the widow, ultimately offering less than the agreed amount. The widow, furious, donates the tattoo to the municipality of Bergamo, leading Deplis to flee to Rome to escape the embarrassment. Despite his efforts to distance himself from the artwork, Deplis finds himself unable to bathe in public without covering the tattoo, as it is now considered a protected piece of art. His troubles escalate when he is barred from leaving Italy due to laws against exporting national art. A dispute arises over the authenticity of the tattoo, drawing international attention and leading to a chaotic controversy involving art experts and political ramifications across Europe. Deplis, overwhelmed by the situation, becomes embroiled in anarchist circles and faces repeated deportations as a "dangerous foreigner." His misfortunes culminate when an anarchist accidentally ruins the tattoo during a heated debate, resulting in further legal troubles. Eventually, he is expelled from Italy and wanders the streets of Paris, clinging to the delusion that he is a lost part of a famous statue, while maintaining a semblance of sanity on other topics.
By Saki · First published 1912 · Genre: Satire, Comedy, Fiction · 1,383 words
First lines
"That woman's art-jargon tires me," said Clovis to his journalist friend. "She's so fond of talking of certain pictures as ‘growing on one,' as though they were a sort of fungus."
"That reminds me," said the journalist, "of the story of Henri Deplis. Have I ever told it you?"
What this Textopian page supports
The Background is listed on Textopian as a short story by Saki, dated 1912 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Saki
- Date: 1912 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Comedy, Fiction, Social Commentary, Tragedy
- Length: 1,383 words
- Structure: 1 section, 11 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Background by Saki
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Similar titles
- Public Waste by Rudyard Kipling
- Filboid Studge by Saki
- J M Sullivan by Ring Lardner
- Fred W Upham by Ring Lardner
- Jacob Miller by Ring Lardner
- The Unkindest Blow by Saki
Genres
- Satire — The story critiques societal norms and the art world through humor and irony.
- Comedy — The absurd situations and characters create a comedic narrative.
- Fiction — The narrative is a fictional account of Henri Deplis and his misadventures.
- Social Commentary — The work comments on the nature of art, legacy, and societal values.
Tags
satire · art · humor · absurdity · identity · legacy · tattoo · commercialism · anarchism · European culture · Icarus · dispute