sentences:  Named for its sometimes cruel analysis of Duffield and the major figures in his life, the book explores universal themes like the suffering of the artist, the need for truth and the meaning of existence.The longest of White's novels, "The Vivisector" was written in 1968.While the novel was dedicated to painter Sidney Nolan, White denied any connection between Hurtle Duffield, the novel's central character, and Nolan or any other painter.