Bernhard is one of the masters of contemporary European fictionGeorge SteinerOld Masters 1985 is Thomas Bernhards devilishly funny story about the friendship between two old men.For over thirty years Reger a music critic has sat on the same bench in front of a Tintoretto painting in a Viennese museum thinking and railing against contemporary society his fellow men artists the weather even the state of public lavatories. His friend Atzbacher has been summoned to meet him and through his eyes we learn more about Reger the tragic death of his wife his thoughts of suicide and eventually the true purpose of their appointment. At once pessimistic and exuberant rancorous and hilarious Old Masters is a richly satirical portrait of culture genius nationhood class the value of art and the pretensions of humanity.