Painting as an Art

Richard Wollheim (1923–2003) was emeritus professor of philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley. His many books include Art and Its Objects, On the Emotions, and Freud.

"There are books aplenty on painting and art, but this is the first to explain seriously what makes painting an art, and it is our good luck to have it from a notable philosopher who is also on an intimate footing with the tradition of Western painting and who knows how to stand in front of a painting and spin tales that sparkle with truth. . . . Wollheim's interpretations are bold, revisionary and cogent. Only a philosopher of his rare gifts, and a connoisseur with his command of the art-historical tradition, could possibly have the confidence to bring off his feat of virtuoso interpretation."---Flint Schier, New York Times Book Review