The intimate philosophy of art - John Armstrong

How many of us have stopped before a famous painting or building only to realise, with quiet disappointment, that we can't quite see what the fuss is about? What do we have to do - beyond just staring - to get the most out of art? How do we come to develop an attachment to individual works and find them deeply fascinating? How do they come to matter to us?;While many have diligently directed attention to questions in art history, theory or criticism, the author, in a powerful and original shift of focus, considers the roots of our personal engagement with art. perhaps this is both the most important and most neglected aspect of thinking about art.;There is no access to art except in private - in looking, thinking and feeling in the presence of an individual work. In this book, the author describes the resources we each need to cultivate in order to enjoy painting and architecture; resources such as reverie, attention and the investment of emotion. Moving easily between the intimacies of personal experiences and lucid, accessible philosophical reflection, the author acts as a sensitive and persuasive guide.