Windows In Art by Christopher Masters (Merrell, £19.95) (From York Press)

Windows In Art by Christopher Masters (Merrell, £19.95)

9:10am Wednesday 18th January 2012 in Books By Bill Spence

UNTIL relatively recently, windows were seen as a sign of wealth and were even subject to taxation as in England when in 1695 the Window Tax was introduced.

And yet how many of us are aware of this when we see the depictions of large houses and stately homes, that they are indeed showing the landowners wealth and standing in society.

This is just one fact we learn in this fascinating book. Windows have functional, symbolic and expressive functions in art and here we read about their various roles in five different sections illustrated with beautiful reproductions of works by Vermeer, Hockney, Matisse and richly- coloured stained glass windows among many others.

We see the subject as a means of viewing the world, as a spiritual symbol of light, and as a mirror of the artist’s soul, and thanks to this book we are made more aware of how many art works include windows.

Some very famous works have hidden windows and once they are pointed out we wonder how we missed them before so this volume becomes a window into the subject itself and one that enriches our looking. This is an intriguing subject and one not to be missed.