The book of the week: "It is better to see once again" - how and why to understand the art

Head of content department Gallery Lisson (London / New York) Ossian Ward dedicated his first book to contemporary art. In it, he said, is why there is nothing to be ashamed of to hours looking at one painting. And also introduced Tabula method that helps to understand the meaning of a work of art: T - Patience, A - Association B - background is, I - uptake, N - better look again, A - analysis.

The penultimate paragraph of this method, Ward has dedicated his second book - "It is better to see once again. How to fall in love with the art of the past. " At this time, he speaks of the earlier works created prior to the XX century, and tells not only about how to understand them, but also about where it is looking to get to the bottom.

Ward calls to stop, not to pursue the flow of people and not to seek to circumvent the entire gallery or a museum for two hours. Artist thoughtfully he has placed on its web tips and clues that will certainly find an attentive audience and see the work in a completely different light. For example, in the painting of Jan Vermeer's "The Milkmaid" (1660) shows a girl pouring milk. And in order to understand what is going to say a Dutch painter, you need to know that representatives of the profession at the time had a certain reputation:

Not on whether it hints wide mouth jar with its dark depth or tiny figure of Cupid on a Delft tiles, reaching the bottom edge of the wall?

Ossian Ward, "It is better to see once again"

Each chapter offers a look at the art of a particular angle. According to Ward, it may be honesty, philosophy, drama, beauty, honor, paradox, recklessness or insight. And each of these roles the author devotes a separate discussion.

If you see the beauty in art is not just an opportunity to enjoy and have fun, and something precious, elusive, incomprehensible, it will show the depth and it will open you the way to the wonders that are not conspicuous, being in some way hidden under layers of paint.

Ossian Ward, "It is better to see once again"

To read this book does not need pre-treatment - Ossian Ward specifically wrote a manual for those who are just beginning to take the first steps in understanding art. The author appears to the reader as a guide, which is pushing for reflection and indicates the details. But he refrained from direct explanations, giving everyone a chance to guess what had undertaken a painter.

To buy a book