Claire is a 20-something artist living illegally in her SoWa district studio in Boston. Following a disastrous relationship with her former professor, she lost her standing in the fine art community and now earns her living painting realistic classical reproductions for an online retailer. She possesses extraordinary technical skill in traditional oil painting but constantly worries she lacks original vision.

Issac was an older, established professor and artist in the Boston area. Prior to the main events of the story, he experienced a severe artistic decline until he claimed credit for a painting Claire created called *4D*. His theft of her work propelled him to massive fame but ultimately led to his death by suicide, casting a long shadow over Claire's life.

Rik is an assistant curator at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. He is highly educated in art history and frequently travels, sharing Claire's fascination with classical works. He serves as a grounding presence in Claire's life, offering her a connection to the legitimate museum world she feels excluded from.

Aiden owns Markel G, one of Boston's most prestigious art galleries. He is a charming, persuasive dealer who understands how to manipulate the perceived value of artwork. He approaches Claire with a lucrative but highly illegal proposition to forge a famous Degas painting, using his wealth and influence to secure her cooperation.

Isabella is the historical 19th-century Boston socialite who founded the Gardner Museum. Presented primarily through her preserved correspondence, she is an eccentric, wealthy woman who rejects the strict social conventions of her era. She travels extensively, using her fortune to build personal relationships with the most famous artists of her time.

Karen is a prominent curator at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). She acts as a gatekeeper in the high-end art world, determining which artists receive institutional validation. She prioritizes the museum's reputation and financial stability over individual artistic disputes.

Sandra is an 80-something Boston resident and the only living relative of Isabella Stewart Gardner. She maintains an impressive private collection of modern art in her home. She holds strong, negative opinions regarding the current management of the Gardner Museum and fiercely protects her family's historical privacy.

Degas is the historical 19th-century French Impressionist painter famous for his depictions of dancers and bathers. In the novel's historical timeline, he works out of a messy, chaotic studio and forms a close connection with Isabella Gardner, challenging her classical tastes with his modern artistic sensibilities.

Amelia is Isabella Stewart Gardner's fictional niece. She lives in the United States and serves as the trusted recipient of her aunt's most scandalous and private correspondence from Europe.

Virgil is an obscure historical Boston artist who worked during the same period as Degas. He possesses high technical skill and develops a relationship with the Gardner family, leaving behind diaries and sketchbooks that document his frustrations with his social standing.

Chantal is an enthusiastic, fashion-forward gallery assistant working for Aiden Markel. She manages the logistics of art transportation and gallery promotion, treating the business of art with intense dedication.

Kristi is Aiden Markel's second gallery assistant. Alongside Chantal, she handles the practical execution of gallery events, managing artist schedules, media appearances, and physical installations.

Crystal is a contemporary Boston artist who produces commercially successful, crowd-pleasing paintings. Claire and her friends disdain her work, labeling it "over the couch" art meant for wealthy suburbanites rather than true collectors.

Mike is a member of Claire's social circle who works as a lawyer. Though he usually acts just as another friend at the local dive bar, he steps into his professional role when Claire requires legal representation during a crisis.

Alana is the director of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. She holds ultimate authority over the building and its collection, taking a strict and bureaucratic approach to museum security and staff behavior.