This deeply personal account of emotion and vulnerability draws upon anecdotes related to individual works of art to present a chronicle of how people have shown emotion before works of art in the past.

James Elkins is Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is the author of many books, including How to Use Your Eyes and What Painting Is, both published by Routledge.

Colorplates Preface Acknowledgements 1. Crying at Nothing but Colors 2. Crying No One Can Understand 3. Crying from Chromatic Waves 4. Crying Because You've 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