$39.95
At twenty-five, Benjamin Moser arrived in an ancient Dutch town and soon found himself drawn—first casually, then obsessively—to the country’s great museums. Immersing himself in the world of the Dutch Masters, he uncovered the luminous yet often haunting stories of artists like Rembrandt, Vermeer, and the doomed virtuoso Carel Fabritius. Through their paintings, he also came to understand the Netherlands itself, from Pieter de Hooch’s cozy interiors to Jacob van Ruisdael’s melancholy landscapes.
The Upside-Down World is both an exploration of Dutch art and a deeply personal journey. As Moser grappled with questions of art, success, and failure, he found kinship with these long-gone painters, whose struggles echoed his own. Sumptuously illustrated and twenty years in the making, this book offers a fresh perspective on Holland’s Golden Age and a revealing self-portrait of one of today’s most acclaimed writers.
Art of Reading Book Club Selection for May 17, 2025
Paperback
400 pages
14 in stock
Description
At twenty-five, Benjamin Moser arrived in an ancient Dutch town and soon found himself drawn—first casually, then obsessively—to the country’s great museums. Immersing himself in the world of the Dutch Masters, he uncovered the luminous yet often haunting stories of artists like Rembrandt, Vermeer, and the doomed virtuoso Carel Fabritius. Through their paintings, he also came to understand the Netherlands itself, from Pieter de Hooch’s cozy interiors to Jacob van Ruisdael’s melancholy landscapes.
The Upside-Down World is both an exploration of Dutch art and a deeply personal journey. As Moser grappled with questions of art, success, and failure, he found kinship with these long-gone painters, whose struggles echoed his own. Sumptuously illustrated and twenty years in the making, this book offers a fresh perspective on Holland’s Golden Age and a revealing self-portrait of one of today’s most acclaimed writers.
Art of Reading Book Club Selection for May 17, 2025
Paperback
400 pages
