On Reflection

​On Reflection by Jonathan Miller is a captivating exploration of the depiction of reflections in art, examining how artists have represented mirrors, water, and other reflective surfaces across centuries. Published in 1998 to accompany the National Gallery, London’s exhibition Mirror Image, the book delves into the visual, psychological, and philosophical aspects of reflection in artistic expression.​

Miller investigates questions such as:​

• How do we distinguish between a reflection and the real object?

• Why can we see either our reflection or the mirror, but not both simultaneously?

• How have artists across nine centuries—from van Eyck and Dürer to Ingres and Mapplethorpe—captured the nuances of sheen, shine, glimmer, and gleam?

The book is richly illustrated with paintings and photographs from the National Gallery and other international collections, offering readers a visual journey through the history of reflections in art.​