She came to life, emerging from the picture, and mingled with the crowds who were gawking at the paintings by the great man. She smiled as she listened to the stories that they were telling. “She was his lover/muse/illegitimate daughter”. You could fill in the gap yourself.

“Let me paint you” he said ” and you will be immortalised. You will live for ever. “

He hadn’t meant it literally.

Or had he?