This is the long-awaited book by Theodor Abt, who has been training analysts internationally in the art of picture interpretation since 30 years. His long experience in this field has led him to develop his own method, resulting in this book. Some 150 color pictures accompany the text, making this book a valuable resource to have on the bookshelf for consultation in the following areas: –Formal aspects –The symbolism of space –The symbolism of colors –The symbolism of numbers. From the author’s Foreword: 'This guidebook is the result of my teaching picture interpretation at the C.G. Jung Institute in Zurich-Küsnacht 1977-1994 and, since 1995, at the Research and Training Centre for Depth Psychology according to C.G. Jung and Marie-Louise von Franz in Zurich, Switzerland. … It is born out of practice and meant as an aid for practice. This book is an attempt to show how to illuminate a picture with its own light, as Marie-Louise von Franz once put it. On the other hand, we shall also see how to best avoid prejudice arising from our own fixed ideas as to what a picture should mean.'

Theodor Abt (1947), born in Zurich, Switzerland; Ph.D. from the Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich 1977, 1973-79 project leader of overall regional development concepts for two Swiss mountain regions. Since 1975 Jungian Analyst in private practice. 1983-88 member of the board of the C.G. Jung Institute, Zurich. Since 1990 Professor for Rural Sociology at the ETH. Since 1995, member of the board of the Research and Training Centre for Depthpsychology according to C.G. Jung and M.-L. von Franz, Zurich. Since 1988, President of the Society of the Friends of the Royal Tombs of Egypt. His research focuses on the relationship of the outer world with the needs of the inner unconscious world. Of his publications in German is available in English: Progress without Loss of Soul, 1990.