Art as Therapy

Art as Therapy

" What is art’s purpose? In this engaging, lively, and controversial new book, bestselling philosopher Alain de Botton and art historian John Armstrong propose a new way of looking at familiar masterpieces, suggesting that they can be useful, relevant, and – above all else – therapeutic for their viewers. De Botton argues that certain great works offer clues on managing the tensions and confusions of everyday life. Chapters on Love, Nature, Money, and Politics outline how art can help with these common difficulties – for example, Vermeer’s Girl Reading a Letter helps us focus on what we want to be loved for; Serra’s Fernando Pessoa reminds us of the importance of dignity in suffering; and Manet’s Bunch of Asparagus teaches us how to preserve and value our long‐term partners. Art as Therapy offers an unconventional perspective, demonstrating how art can guide us, console us, and help us better understand ourselves. "
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Reviews

Photo of Steven Harrison
Steven Harrison@shteven
5 stars
Oct 17, 2023
Photo of Emma Bose
Emma Bose@emmashanti
5 stars
Mar 3, 2024
Photo of Jo A
Jo A@thecupofjo
4 stars
Jan 1, 2024
Photo of Tara C
Tara C@champagnedreams
5 stars
Feb 19, 2023
Photo of Steve Daniels
Steve Daniels@stevezie
5 stars
Aug 29, 2022
Photo of Alexandra Sergeychik
Alexandra Sergeychik@sashaserge
5 stars
Aug 4, 2022
Photo of Alexander Lobov
Alexander Lobov@alexlobov
3 stars
Jun 10, 2022
Photo of Capucine Fachot
Capucine Fachot@capucine
4 stars
Jan 30, 2022
Photo of Esme
Esme@esme_grace
4 stars
Dec 5, 2021
Photo of Marielle de Geest
Marielle de Geest@Marielle
2 stars
Aug 1, 2021

Highlights

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Thesa Terheyden@Gamma