Pictures and Tears
A History of People Who Have Cried in Front of Paintings
James Elkins
- 256 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
Pictures and Tears
A History of People Who Have Cried in Front of Paintings
James Elkins
About This Book
Art Does art leave you cold? And is that what it's supposed to do? Or is a painting meant to move you to tears? Hemingway was reduced to tears in the midst of a drinking bout when a painting by James Thurber caught his eye. And what's bad about that? In Pictures and Tears, art historian James Elkins tells the story of paintings that have made people cry. Drawing upon anecdotes related to individual works of art, he provides a chronicle of how people have shown emotion before works of art in the past, and a meditation on the curious tearlessness with which most people approach art in the present. Deeply personal, Pictures and Tears is a history of emotion and vulnerability, and an inquiry into the nature of art. This book is a rare and invaluable treasure for people who love art. Also includes an 8-page color insert.
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Table of contents
- Cover
- Halftitle
- Title
- Copyright
- Contents
- Colorplates
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- 1. Crying at nothing but colors
- 2. Crying no one can understand
- 3. Crying from chromatic waves
- 4. Crying because youâve been hit by a lightning bolt
- 5. Weeping over bluish leaves
- 6. The ivory tower of tearlessness
- 7. False tears over a dead bird
- 8. Crying because time passes
- 9. Weeping, watching the Madonna weep
- 10. Crying at God
- 11. Sobbing in lonely mountains
- 12. Crying at the empty sea of faith
- Envoi: How to look and possibly even be moved
- Appendix: Thirty-two letters
- Sources
- Index