The Art of Seeing: An Interpretation of the Aesthetic Encounter

by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, Rick E. Robinson

What is the nature of the aesthetic experience? Is it the same for everyone? It is possible to facilitate its occurrence? This book focuses on the psychology of the aesthetic experience and on the perception and understanding of art, suggesting ways to raise levels of visual literacy and
enhance artistic enjoyment. The findings will be of importance not only to museum professionals and art educators, but also to psychologists and those interested in the nature of the aesthetic experience.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Art, Design

224 pages, Paperback

First published March 7, 1991

About the author

A Hungarian psychology professor, who emigrated to the United States at the age of 22. Now at Claremont Graduate University, he is the former head of the department of psychology at the University of Chicago and of the department of sociology and anthropology at Lake Forest College.

He is noted for both his work in the study of happiness and creativity and also for his notoriously difficult name, in terms of pronunciation for non-native speakers of the Hungarian language, but is best known as the architect of the notion of flow and for his years of research and writing on the topic. He is the author of many books and over 120 articles or book chapters. Martin Seligman, former president of the American Psychological Association, described Csikszentmihalyi as the world's leading researcher on positive psychology.

Csikszentmihalyi once said "Repression is not the way to virtue. When people restrain themselves out of fear, their lives are by necessity diminished. Only through freely chosen discipline can life be enjoyed and still kept within the bounds of reason." His works are influential and are widely cited.

Reviews

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the book for an aesthetics course and ended up really enjoying it. Brilliant study.

[John Archibald · Rating 5 out of 5]

very extensive, so much so I only studied a third of the book, and it was enough_ the book comprises four ways of interpreting or experiencing aesthetics in differing mediums of art works. 1.the mental 2.the emotional 3.the perpetual 4.the communicative it was a very decent structure as I read this book 4 years ago, and often flickers of associations when visiting art museums effortlessly come to mind. I felt a bit guilty not completing the book but the subject covered on the aesthetics of seeing is so extensive in its study, it felt like it would encompass the knowledge of a astrophysicist, without the want or prospect of becoming one.
I really do believe there is something in this book for anyone invested in the study of easthetics with art, in whatever discipline, be that a career, on the fringes or purely self improvement on the subject matter. this author is one of my most admired list of educators, all his books are written very clearly and exhaustively in disciplinary dedication, he is very unique and especially his work on acheiving flow, better and more authentic than any self help I have ever wasted time on. along with helping you learn subjects, he offers insight on how to put knowledge into action with self report of his interviews with experts. always inspiring.. uniquely easy to understand as the author is such a brilliant communicator.

[Natalie DeAbreu · Rating 4 out of 5]

You saved me for my thesis! Thank you!