The meaning of pictures : Six lectures given for Columbia University at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

This collection of six university lectures invites listeners to step back and consider how we truly engage with visual art. It argues that judging a picture isn’t a single‑person task; rather, our assessments blend the artist’s intention with our own perceptions, encouraging tolerance for differing viewpoints. By examining both the creator’s mindset and the public’s response, the talks set a foundation for a more open, reflective experience of paintings.

The series moves through the ideas of realism and truth, showing how masters from Rembrandt to the Dutch painters navigate the line between literal representation and deeper meaning. It then explores the personal imprint each artist leaves on a work, the role of imagination in seeing beyond the canvas, and the notion of pictorial poetry that bridges image and feeling. Listeners will come away with fresh tools for reading art, appreciating the subtle signals that convey both individual expression and universal resonance.