The pictorial universe of Pat Steir is usually divided into different styles, epochs and categories. In this monograph, for the first time, art historian Doris von Drathen traces a logical line of thought that runs through the whole oeuvre, from the artist's earliest works to her most recent; although richly diverse, the paintings are all linked by an underlying investigation into the illusion of reality and its perception -- a philosophical inquiry that perpetually asks: What do you see, and what do you think you see? Every painting is an exploration that questions the nature of what it is: a painting. In this way, over the past 40 years, Pat Steir has built up an essential body of work with a far-reaching contemporary influence -- one that might best be described as "a school for seeing." - Jacket.