This volume investigates the cognitive and aesthetic role of imagination in the creation and appreciation of artistic works. The authors, Dominic Lopes and Matthew Kieran, draw upon contemporary analytic philosophy to examine how imaginative engagement functions as a bridge between the viewer and the artwork. They argue that imagination is not merely a passive reception of images but an active, rule-governed process essential to understanding artistic expression and emotional response.

Scholars in the field of aesthetics frequently cite this work as a rigorous contribution to the philosophy of art. The text is noted for its high level of academic density and its precise application of cognitive science to traditional aesthetic problems.