Benjamin Moser is a Pulitzer Prizewinning writer celebrated for his indepth studies of literary and cultural figures such as Susan Sontag and Clarice Lispector. His latest book, which details a twentyyear love affair with the Dutch masters, is one of Tyler's favorite books on art criticism ever.

Benjamin joined Tyler to discuss why Vermeer was almost forgotten, how Rembrandt was so productive, what auctions of the old masters reveals about current approaches to painting, why Dutch art hangs best in houses, what makes the Kunstmuseum in the Hague so special, why Dutch students won't read older books, Benjamin's favorite Dutch movie, the tensions within Dutch social tolerance, the joys of living in Utrecht, why Latin Americans make for harder interview subjects, whether Brasilia works as a city, why modernism persisted in Brazil, how to appreciate Clarice Lispector, Susan Sontag's (waning) influence, V.S. Naipaul’s mentorship, Houston's intellectual culture, what he's learning next, and more.

Recorded February 15th, 2024

Transcript and links: https://conversationswithtyler.com/ep...

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Photo Credit: Philippe Quaisse