John Berger : Ways Of Seeing

Description

Ways of Seeing by John Berger . The Viking Press : New York. 1973. First American Edition.

 

An adaptation and tie-in for the BBC television program Ways Of Seeing starring John Berger as narrator, this book provides a framework for understanding and appreciating visual expression.

Intensely interested in how people interact with imagery and interpret the meanings of film, photographs, and paintings, the text consists of seven photo-essays intended to be read in any order, three of which contain no words. Instead, these sections compare different styles of portraiture or contrast depictions of women in classical paintings, pornography, and advertising.

The essential thesis behind the text is that what we see and what we are meant to take away from images is a constant dialogue between the artist, the viewer, the medium, and a broader interplay of cultural impressions. A beautiful book about art, life, philosophy, and communication, it makes for engaging and entrancing reading.

8vo, pp160, publisher’s patterned grey paper boards with title, author, and publisher printed in blue and black on tan cloth spine. Spine ends bumped. Top bookblock, blue, with light scratches. Brown pastedowns and endpapers. Two black marker lines on half title. Pages clean. Very good condition. Price-clipped dust jacket with some wear to corners. Spine bumped, 1/2″ tear to top left spine corner with front wrap, losses along top of spine, two small tears at top mid spine at joint to back wrap. Crease along inner front fold edge. Good condition.

If you liked this book, you might also enjoy “Unrecorded Histories“, a fine example of Arts-and-Crafts movement era printing.