Mega art dealer Larry Gagosian and legendary 20th-century artist Maxfield Parrish figure largely in a new novel by actor-writer-musician-comedian Steve Martin.

Set to be released on Tues., "An Object of Beauty" is a sketch of the New York art world inspired by Martin's own experience while forming a renowned collection of primarily 19th- and 20th-century American art.

The one-time owner of such signature works as Edward Hopper's "Hotel Window" and Roy Lichtenstein's "Ohhh...Alright," and most recently the purchaser of a William Michael Harnett still-life, Martin is well-versed in the art world.

Yet the author insists he is not an art expert. “And the reason I chose the art world is I knew enough about it, but I don’t know everything about it. And I like that," Martin told the New York Times.

In an interview on Amazon, Martin describes the process of writing the book and his view of the art market, particularly the boom period at the end of the millennium: "All art is connected to money. Dealers and collectors are far from cynical about art. The love of the stuff is genuine."