On July 27, 2006, the important American Minimalist painter, Robert Ryman, and curator Urs Raussmüller conducted a public conversation in Edinburgh, discussing in detail the qualities that define Ryman's works and distinguish them from other paintings. The conversations took place in the garden next to Inverleith House--the eighteenth-century estate that now houses an innovative program of temporary exhibitions run by the Royal Botanic Garden--and touched on issues that rarely surface in the discourse on painting, from the feelings that a painting can engender to what the viewers can gain from the contemplation of an artwork. With generous photo documentation of Ryman's exhibition at Inverleith House, as well as the garden talk and other unguarded moments, this book-length conversation is essential fare for all fans of Ryman's work and working philosophy.