A book, two stories, one theme. Peter Härtling follows two characters: an aging actor and the young painter Carl Philipp Fohr. One travels through the republic as a reader in our times, while the other wanders to Rome in the age of Romanticism to embark on a great work. Both are at a turning point in their lives and savor existence. The actor is captivated by the idea of reading the last books of great writers. Fohr seeks connection with his colleagues at Café Greco in Rome and a new form of painting. As in his great artist novels, Peter Härtling tells with sensitivity, vividness, and fascination about two men dedicated to art.