Late 19th century. Pierre Bonnard, a young pupil of the famous impressionist Claude Monet, is slowly but surely climbing the French art Olympus. The 26-year-old painter (played by Vincent Macaigne) doesn't know it yet, but a woman he meets in 1893 will change his whole life. When Pierre meets Martha (actress Cécile de France), the 24-year-old is determined to make her way in high society. Having changed her piggish surname Bursin to the much more noble-sounding De Méligny, Marta looks and behaves like a true aristocrat. From her first meeting with Pierre, Marta becomes not only the main muse of his work, but also his frantic, irrepressible and passionate lover. Not permanently, however: although they return to each other periodically, Pierre and Marta do not shy away from appearing in public with other partners, and it is not until 1925 that they formalize their relationship. After living together for the rest of their lives, they die five years apart: Marta in 1942, Pierre in 1947. Martha de Meligny's image can be found in about one third of all the works painted by Pierre Bonnard, a significant number of them nudes. Their relationship, which lasted almost 50 years and broke the stereotypes of the time, and which was full of love, passion, anger, stormy break-ups and disputes, attracted the attention of the cream of the French art world like honey, and it remains one of the most beautiful (if relatively little-known) romantic art stories of the past century. The new biographical drama "The Muse in Disguise" by French director Martin Provost (The Perfect Wife, Beatrice's Kiss, Violetta, Serafina) opens in Lithuania on 3 May.