Looks like they were sent as AOL ART file format pictures. If you go to Windows Update, there should be in the list of additional file support programs support for AOL ART images. (You do keep Micro$haft Internut Exploter up to date with the latest patches, right?

) Download the program updates, restart your system and you should be in business.
(Leave it to AOL to come up with a proprietary file format for photos. CompuServe had GIF, but it's now a common file format, though it's been supplanted by JPEG.)