Art and illusion : a study in the psychology of pictorial representation (6th ed)

"Art and Illusion" is a classic study of image-making.

It seeks to answer a simple question: why is there such a thing as style?

The question may be simple but there is no easy answer, and Professor Gombrich's wide-ranging exploration of the history and psychology of pictorial representation leads him into many important areas.

He examines, questions and re-evaluates old and new ideas on the imitation of nature, the function of tradition, the problem of abstraction, the validity of perspective and the interpretation of expression, all of which reveal that pictorial representation is far from being a straightforward matter.

First published in the 1960s, the text applies the findings of experimental science to the understanding of art and in tackling complex ideas and theoretical issues, Gombrich is rigorous; yet he always retains a sense of wonder at the inexhaustible capacity of the human brain, and at the subtlety of the relationships involved in seeing the world and in making and seeing art.

With deep knowledge and his exceptional gift for clear exposition, he advances arguments as hypotheses to be tested. The problems of representation are fundamental to the history of art and this volume should be a crucial text for anyone interested in understanding art.

For the 6th edition Professor Gombrich wrote a 12-page preface in which he makes use of the distinction between an image and a sign in order to clarify his intentions in writing the book.