Shadows and Dreams: Perceiving, Imagining, Depicting - The aim of this paper is to shed light on the role of imagination in our reception of pictures. In contemporary debate many scholars maintain that we need imagination in order to grasp what pictures depict. This solution is shown to be untenable and is rejected, by arguing against four theses which seem to justify it. As a conclusion, it is shown that imagination is called into play not by depiction as such, but only by the use we make of depictions when we are willing to take part in the game they ask us to play.
Key words: Imagination, Make believe, Narrative, Phenomenology of perception, Picture, Seeing in.
Parole chiave: Immagine cinematografica, Melodia, Montaggio, Percezione, Psicologia della Gestalt, Ritmo.