How to See by David Salle
Last updated: 2 October 2026
How to See is a collection of essays by the American painter David Salle about artists he knows and work he admires, from Jeff Koons and John Baldessari to Roy Lichtenstein and Alex Katz. He writes about how paintings are made and why they work, in everyday language rather than art theory. The W. W. Norton paperback has 288 pages and an RRP of £13.99. On 2 October 2026 Amazon UK had it at £12.99.
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What How to See covers
The essays look at individual artists. Salle writes about friends and contemporaries, including Koons, Baldessari, Lichtenstein and Katz, and about the personalities behind the work as well as the work itself. He describes what is on the canvas and how it got there, instead of using the vocabulary of art theory.
Each essay stands on its own, so you can read the book in any order and pick out the artists you care about.
Who David Salle is
Salle was born in Norman, Oklahoma, in 1952 and studied at CalArts under John Baldessari, who appears in the book. After moving to New York he showed with the dealer Mary Boone, and his work appeared in the Metropolitan Museum's Pictures Generation exhibition alongside Cindy Sherman and Richard Prince. According to Wikipedia, his work is in the collections of MoMA, the Whitney and Tate Modern.
He also writes about art for magazines, including Artforum, Art in America, The Paris Review and Town & Country.
What the critics said
Salman Rushdie compared it to John Berger's Ways of Seeing, calling Salle's book "the artist's reply". The Times Literary Supplement called Salle "a remarkably enthusiastic guide who genuinely loves art". Both quotes appear on the book's Waterstones listing.
Key facts
- Author: David Salle
- Publisher: W. W. Norton
- First published: 2016 (hardback); paperback 16 January 2018
- Format: paperback, 288 pages
- ISBN: 9780393354966
- Price: £13.99 RRP, £12.99 on Amazon UK on 2 October 2026, with three copies left in stock
- Ratings: 4.2 out of 5 from 156 ratings on Amazon UK, checked the same day
Who it suits
- Gallery visitors: Salle describes what to look for in a painting, such as scale, colour and how it was made.
- Art students and painters: Salle writes as a working artist about decisions on the canvas.
- Fans of post-war American art: Koons, Lichtenstein and Katz each get a full essay.
- Gift buyers: it suits a friend who goes to exhibitions but finds wall labels hard going.
The limits
The artists named in the publisher's description are all American and post-war, so if you are after older or European art, check the contents first. Some essays also assume you know the artist's work already, so you may want to look the paintings up as you read. For a wider survey, Phaidon's Great Women Artists covers more than 400 names.
Where to buy How to See in the UK
Amazon UK had the paperback at £12.99 on 2 October 2026, £1 under the RRP, but only three copies were left in stock. More were listed as on the way.
FAQs
What is How to See by David Salle about?
It is a collection of essays about how art works and how to look at it, written by a painter about other artists, including Jeff Koons, John Baldessari, Roy Lichtenstein and Alex Katz.
Is How to See good for beginners?
Yes, mostly. Salle avoids art-theory language, though some essays assume you already know the artist.
How long is How to See?
The paperback has 288 pages, split into short essays.
How much does How to See cost in the UK?
The paperback has an RRP of £13.99. Amazon UK had it at £12.99 on 2 October 2026.
Who is David Salle?
He is an American painter, born in 1952, associated with the Pictures Generation. He also writes about art for magazines.
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