Art, Perception, and Reality
Johns Hopkins University Press
Published on 26. January 1973
Book
Hardback
142 pages
978-0-8018-1354-2 (ISBN)
Description
In Art, Perception, and Reality three eminent scholars explore questions relating to the nature of representation in art. Art historian E. H. Gombrich asks how we recognize likeness-in portraits or caricatures for instance-and concludes that we do so by empathy. Psychologist Julian Hochberg rejects Gombrich's argument, suggesting instead that the expectations aroused in the scanning processes of visual perception account for recognition of likeness. Finally, philosopher Max black argues that no criteria have been established for defining conditions of representation and concludes that representation is a "cluster concept."
Reviews / Votes
The approach of the book is very original because it presents itself as the interdisiplinary convergance of three adopted points of view, respectively, the history of art, the psychology, and the philosophy.-Pierre Somville, Revue Philosophique Bringing together essays by an art historian, a psychologist, and a philosopher, is an important event, for it marks a growing interest in the suggestive but very problematic relation between our experience of art and our perception of the visual world.
-Mark Sagoff, Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism Power to provoke thought.
-Michael Rosenthal, Art, Perception, and Reality Stimulating and erudite. It considers the problem of likeness between a portrait and the sitter, and the role of empathy, a much neglected aspect in the nature of creating art.
-J.B.Deregowski, New Society This useful book contains three significant essays on the subject by an art historian, a psychologist, and a philosopher. Hochberg's theoretical demolition of the theory of empathy in relation to viewing art objects is of exceptional value.
-Peter Fuller, Arts Review The great achievement of this book is that it broadens the reader's perspective on the problems of representation, whatever disipline the reader considers his own. From that broadened perspective is likely to come more fruitful consideration of this set of problems.
-Lorraine A. Ozar, The Modern Schoolman Three informed opinions on the classical question of representation . . . Provocative.
-Art Journal
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Baltimore, MD
United States
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Weight
454 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8018-1354-2 (9780801813542)
DOI
10.56021/9780801813542
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E. H. Gombrich | Julian Hochberg | Max Black
Art, Perception, and Reality
Book
10/1973
Johns Hopkins University Press
€35.50
Article not available for order
Persons
E. H. Gombrich is director emeritus of the Warburg Institute at the University of London. Julian Hochberg is professor of psychology at Columbia University. Max Black was Susan Linn Sage Professor of Philosophy and Humane Letters at Cornell University.
Content
Preface
Part I. The Mask and the Face: The Perception of Physiognomic Likeness in Life and in Art
Part II. The Representation of Things and People
Part III. How do Pictures Represent?
Postscript
Index
Part I. The Mask and the Face: The Perception of Physiognomic Likeness in Life and in Art
Part II. The Representation of Things and People
Part III. How do Pictures Represent?
Postscript
Index