An embittered French painter named Frenhofer (Michel Piccoli) hasn't painted a canvas in years, but he's inspired when he meets the lovely girlfriend of a young painter who's a guest in his chateau. Following his muse, Frenhofer decides to finish work on his long-neglected masterpiece, "La Belle Noiseuse." And his young model will do all she can to keep him focused enough to satisfy art for art's sake.