We say "every picture tells a story" - but does it? In today's world we are assailed by different images everywhere we turn. Is there a vocabulary we can learn in order to read these pictures? And is there something we can do so as not to remain passive when we flip through an illustrated book or wander through a gallery?
In 'Reading Pictures' the acclaimed writer Alberto Manguel sets out to show how the "common viewer", like himself, can be drawn into the world of paintings, buildings, sculptures and photographs. From the remarkable life of the "hairy girl" whose matted fur so astonished sixteenth century Italy to the brutal complexities of Picasso's treatment of his mistress, Manguel's guidance helps us to enjoy and explore the visual landscape we inhabit.
