Wilhelm Worringers landmark study in the interpretation of modern art; first published in 1908; has seldom been out of print. Its profound impact not only on art historians and theorists but also for generations of creative writers and intellectuals is almost unprecedented. Starting from the notion that beauty derives from our sense of being able to identify with an object; Worringer argues that representational art produces satisfaction from our ldquo;objectified delight in the self;rdquo; reflecting a confidence in the world as it is―as in Renaissance art. By contrast; the urge to abstraction; as exemplified by Egyptian; Byzantine; primitive; or modern expressionist art; articulates a totally different response to the world: it expresses mans insecurity. Thus in historical periods of anxiety and uncertainty; man seeks to abstract objects from their unpredictable state and transform them into absolute; transcendental forms. Abstraction and Empathy also has a sociological dimension; in that the urge to create fixed; abstract; and geometric forms is a response to the modern experience of industrialization and the sense that individual identity is threatened by a hostile mass society. Hilton Kramers introduction considers the influence of Worringers thesis and places his book in historical context.
#901378 in eBooks 2010-08-25 2010-08-25File Name: B004A7YBPO
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Spend an Enchanted Evening with This BookBy Susan DowningThe story of turning James A. Micheners book TALES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC into the musical "South Pacific" touches on a number of interesting aspects as final decisions were made by Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers about the characters and their stories. the melding of lyrics and music. and the underlying message throughout that is finally addressed in the powerful song "Youve Got To Be Carefully Taught." This became and has remained one of my all-time favorite movies after I saw it with my family when I was a teenager and began playing its songs on the piano. My friendship with a Vietnamese refugee. which began when we were both young adults. truly changed my life; she became my "fairy godmother" and introduced me to my future husband. I think the lessons I learned from "South Pacific" helped motivate my initial approach to her as we waited together in winter weather for a bus to work. This book has given me a new appreciation for the brilliance of Rodgers and Hammersteins work.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Not for the general musical-loving public.By Freyda ThomasAnother biography of a musical written by an egghead. in the dreaded. dense. dessicated style of all academic professionals. who write for each other and not a wider audience. I cant recommend this to the general public.5 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Fascinating DetailBy shrimperyThis is a very well researched account of the politics and theatrics behind the creation and development of the show and I found it deeply intresting and informative. A light gossip. this aint. I can tell ya. Its a scholarly piece of work. intended to bring to the fore the sensibilities of the day. in particular. the ascpcts of racism abroard at the time and the dangers of approaching them in a musical.Hammerstein had gone down this path before. in Show Boatand it was dear to his heart.There is a rarity of imformation around about the details concerning writing and producing these great works and the theatre lovers among us have a deep and abiding interest in the field.I was dissapointed in another book of the genre. Second Act Trouble. which failed. in my view. to shed much light on the vexatious problems of the Second Act in musicals. long an issue for writers and producers alike. but this book. while perhaps somewhat top heavy with detail. nevertheless succeeds.Well worth a read and Im looking forward to more in the series.
