Review: Ways of Seeing

This book is essentially a transcript of a BBC series that goes by the same title. I thought I’d see the world genuinely differently, or analyze art much more differently, and maybe I will, but after simply reading the book, probably not. There really aren’t very strong arguments being presented in the book, as much as it is trying to provide statements and then insist they are facts.

The book moves through four main arguments: How reproduction changes the meaning of an image, the female nude as something designed for the male, the depiction of private property in oil paintings, and advertising being tied to consumer desire. There are also three essays made entirely of pictures.

“Oil painting, before it was anything else, was a celebration of private property.”

“Men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at.”

With profound statements such as the above littered across the essays, you’d hope for more glue and argument to sustain them. However the statements quickly move to the next witty statement. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the statements and that they won’t have an effect on the way I see, but I’m not sure if it bridges the gap I am looking for.

Overall, it’s a quick and light read. You’ll find interest if you visit museums and look at art often, but otherwise I would skip.