Dorian Gray meets the painter Basil Hallward. His extraordinary beauty captivates the artist, who paints several portraits of him. Despite the praise, Basil refuses to sell the painting, admitting to his friend Lord Henry that he has put too much personal emotion into it and feels uneasy.
Basil grows jealous of Dorian’s friendship with Lord Henry but cannot prevent it. Henry’s influence over Dorian deepens. Realizing that he will age while the portrait remains eternally youthful, Dorian starts resenting it and hides the painting. However, events take an unexpected turn.