How to Read a Painting

Decoding, Understanding and Enjoying the Old Masters

Filled to the brim with over 1,000 richly coloured illustrations, How to Read a Painting decodes some of the most inspiring artworks of all time, helping viewers to understand the meanings behind them.

Much of the meaning behind historic masterpieces is wrapped up in intricate symbols, themes, and motifs that hark back to Christian theology, Greek and Roman mythology, and other historical threads. With the help of this handy, easy-to-digest guide, modern-day museum-goers can begin to tap into the minds of artists who lived and created work centuries ago.

Publisher Ludion

Number of pages

€8.95
- Digital - English Buy

Some book reviews
The Sunday Times:
“Can there be anyone out there who needs help identifying the subject of the Portinari Altarpiece? On the other hand, you probably can’t grasp the meaning of it all immediately. Who, for example, are the variously sized people on the side panels? And just why is the still-life of flowers and wheat so prominent in the foreground? Help is at hand.”