Old Masters (novel)

Old Masters. Comedy is a published in 1985 novel by the Austrian writer Thomas Bernhard.

The name of the book refers to the painters of pictures in an art historical Museum in Vienna, which are constantly tested by the protagonist of the work, the 82 -year-old Reger, on error.

Content

Reger is a philosophical, lung disease, strongly negative art critic, he worked for the Times and is this every other day to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, on his Bordone Bank in the Bordone Room in front of the White-Bearded Man by Tintoretto, for over 30 years, except Mondays; on that day the Kunsthistorisches Museum has closed. Here, in this place, Reger is best to think, criticize and discover what there is in this world, but especially in Austria, to atrocities.

A second figure, Irrsigler, is the Museum Curator, by Reger ( and even, indirectly, by himself) he is referred to as " Burgenländer fool ". Only through its thirtieth anniversary together in the museum was Irrsigler been, according to Reger, educated gradually to man. Now he is, Reger, a state dead, he almost lives only for his services in the museum. The narrator of the story is Atzbacher. It is similar in critical thinking and Reger 's how it started Thomas Bernhard was lung disease also.

The external action of the novel is very limited: Atzbacher observed his friend Reger, as he sits on his bench Bordone and think, philosophize. This Atzbacher thinks about Reger's settings, his mind and his life after. In the second half Atzbacher and Reger meet as arranged together in the museum. But this is still told through Atzbacher, so that the reader monologues Reger are now though predominantly mediated as close in time event, but the structure of mediation does not change (especially tangible in the continuously recurring formulas " Reger ", " Reger said " ). The final point is a joint visit to the Burgtheater with a performance of Kleist's Broken Jug, "The idea was appalling. "

The whole is pervaded by dislike, misunderstanding and even disgust towards the Austrian culture and society. This Atzbacher not justified his criticisms; They are dogmatically expressed and how often enhancing Bernhard, self- reinforcing Variations, a piece of music resembling repeated. Reger, on behalf of Bernard himself, condemned. But He does not propose options but repeated over and over again what he has to complain about.

The otherwise monotonous abusive text is interrupted by the story of an encounter with an Englishman Reger. This living in Wales Englishman is Reger, the " misanthrope ", exceptionally sympathetic and Reger gets in amazement at the serenity of this man and admired him even. This proves that even Reger is not as perfect as he would have liked.

As a recurring theme Reger mentioned his very beloved by him the woman he has also met in said museum and was of great emotional significance for him, and still is. For years, he sat in despair on the so immensely important for him bank and was "saved" at this very place of her since they first met each other there. This also explains the central importance of the bank in the Kunsthistorisches Museum for him, which after the death of his wife becomes the only remaining refuge for him. While meet him the " Old Masters " with hatred, yet they are the ones who keep him alive. His condition is the result in no small measure from the disappearance of his wife, which is the starting point for his nihilistic thoughts. The thought that his knowledge transmitted to them could disappear unexpectedly sudden way, filled him with dismay. He always had his hand expected a premature demise, so that plunges him her surprising death in an identity crisis from which it although according to his own statements emerge stronger, which is getting to him as a central theme again and again, however.

Topics

Rational founded criticism of the company and its phenomena: Past Love, Music ( Bruckner ) and art in general ( founder ), philosophy (Heidegger ), kitsch and sentimentality, religion, justice, government, stupidity, cleanliness on Austrian toilets.

Style

Like other works of Thomas Bernhard is the designated as a comedy book mostly of monologues. Reger generalized negative criticizing and represents his own opinion as a general fact way. The author seems to go against everything. Bernhard writes, usually not realistic - mapping, but stylized subjective perceptions broken most artful and increased to be self-reinforcing circular joint with counterpoint.

Quote: "I always have only the people interested (...), because they have rejected me by nature, I am nothing more intense than attracted by the people, at the same time thoroughly repelled by anything than by the people. I hate the people, but they are also my only purpose in life. " ( Old Masters )

Output

• Old Masters. Comedy, Roman. Works in 22 volumes, Volume 8, Suhrkamp Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2008, ISBN 978-3-518-41508-5 ( first edition 1985, TB, 1988, ISBN 978-3-518-38053-6 )

Output as a comic

• Andreas Platthaus (ed.): The Old Masters. Comedy. Drawings by Nicolas Mahler. Suhrkamp Verlag, Berlin 2011, ISBN 978-3-518-46293-5.