Art is a symbol of love and friendship in Masterpiece. This symbol is first presented in Chapter 3, during James’s birthday, when Karl gifts James the pen and ink set. Karl’s gift, which is related to Karl’s interests, is a representation of the love he has for his son. He wants to share his passion with him. Art as a gift comes up again shortly after, when Marvin creates his first drawing as a gift for James. Marvin explains his decision to create to his family, saying “I wanted to do something for James, because his birthday party was so awful” (43). This gesture from Marvin is the beginning of his and James’s friendship, which only grows stronger as the novel progresses.

The creation of art also becomes an exercise in friendship. When James agrees to copy Fortitude, he knows Marvin will be up for it, leading to a dynamic between them where Marvin is able to create works of art while James takes credit for them to protect Marvin. The creation of the artwork requires teamwork, as James needs to help Marvin open the ink and obtain the paper, and Marvin needs to create the art.