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The Philosophy of Art
Excerpt from The Philosophy of Art
The now famous name of Taine was first introduced to the American public by the issue, in 1865, of a small imported edition of this work. That edition has long been out of print here and in Europe.
The now famous name of Taine was first introduced to the American public by the issue, in 1865, of a small imported edition of this work. That edition has long been out of print here and in Europe.
195 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1865
31 people are currently reading
410 people want to read
About the author
Hippolyte Taine
1,126 books69 followersHippolyte Adolphe Taine was a French philosopher, critic and historian. He was the chief theoretical influence of French naturalism, a major proponent of sociological positivism and one of the first practitioners of historicist criticism. Literary historicism as a critical movement has been said to originate with him.[1] Taine is particularly remembered for his three-pronged approach to the contextual study of a work of art, based on the aspects of what he called "race, milieu, and moment".
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippoly...
Hippolyte Adolphe Taine était un historien, philosophe et critique littéraire français.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippoly...
Hippolyte Adolphe Taine était un historien, philosophe et critique littéraire français.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 23, 2018
I’ve been amazed by the simplicity and elegance of this book. And also I was amazed with the fact that Tan wasn’t actually art historian, he was philosopher.
If you interested in things like understanding the peace of art, analyzing it by details and whole picture - this is the really good book for beginning of your art-history-geek life. Tan developed concept of understanding the art through history circumstances of its creation and characters in it. This concept is now used on the best art history faculties all over the world.
I can say that this book will open your mind towards the art pieces. You’ll begin to look on paintings differently, even if it’s a painting that was hanging on the wall of your living room for 20 years.
Tan also talks about literature and characters that make writing a masterpiece. Even if you are not a writer this lecture will be quite useful and interesting for you as a reader.
If you interested in things like understanding the peace of art, analyzing it by details and whole picture - this is the really good book for beginning of your art-history-geek life. Tan developed concept of understanding the art through history circumstances of its creation and characters in it. This concept is now used on the best art history faculties all over the world.
I can say that this book will open your mind towards the art pieces. You’ll begin to look on paintings differently, even if it’s a painting that was hanging on the wall of your living room for 20 years.
Tan also talks about literature and characters that make writing a masterpiece. Even if you are not a writer this lecture will be quite useful and interesting for you as a reader.
January 1, 2022
Religion, philosophy, art and science are inextricably linked. That is why ancient artists were well versed in Latin, philosophy, etc. With the rich subject matters provided by religion, a profound cultural background, reverence for life and the gods, as well as a unique aesthetic sense, artists created their masterpieces.
Composition, human proportion, and dimensional perspective in classical oil painting are actually all based on geometry. For example, in the Vitruvian Man, manuscript by Leonardo Da Vinci, he described, “For if a man be placed flat on his back, with his hands and feet extended, and a pair of compasses centered at his navel, the fingers and toes of his two hands and feet will touch the circumference of a circle described therefrom. And just as the human body yields a circular outline, so too a square figure may be found from it.” This is the logic of the human body. Michelangelo also hid anatomy of the human spine and neural anatomy of the human brain in the Sistine Chapel ceiling. This is anatomy.
Nevertheless, Cubism, Impressionism and Surrealism are exceptions. Artists changed the main features of objects or characters in their works to reflect their unique ideas. They have their own definitions of creations and thus, their feelings, thoughts, and beliefs are hidden in the work.
The face is the index of the mind. In this way, many different thriving genres of paintings emerged from classicism.
____________________________________
Appreciating art not only requires high levels of intellectual understanding and cultural literacy, but also favorable timing and geographical and human conditions. Only then do people have the humour to appreciate art. The house of Medici ruled Florence for more than 300 years from the 15th to the 18th centuries. The rulers defused wars with wisdom, while strongly supporting the arts and establishing education. As a result, Italy became the birthplace of the Renaissance.
If people already struggling to make a living, arguing about different religious beliefs, (reality is the sustenance of the spirit, as bread is the foundation of love), appreciating art, and sensual pleasure must naturally take a back seat. Even if they notice, it is merely for keeping up appearances, for example storing art as antiques to show off mystery and elegance. Indeed, individuals in the community still focus on social welfare.I have to acknowledge that sometimes art is associated with profitableness as donating arts to welfare organizations can garner those individuals tax exemption every year. In some ways, just like the friendship, due to realistic ruthlessness, on an unconscious or unintentional level, it is inevitable that friends and artwork have functional purposes. However, there are some things that cannot be decided by theories, purposes and reasons. The pennant moves as the wind blows, it is neither the wind nor the pennant, but because the heart moves.
____________________________________
Western aesthetics is rational, open, and clear, as the study of mathematics and physics. Empirical and metaphysical methods are the basic ways of studying Western aesthetics. As Plato emphasizes in the Symposium, “a beauty that is marvelous in its nature which is knowledge solely of the beautiful itself.” Conversely, Oriental aesthetics are more inclined to a sensible, depictive, imaginative beauty, the use white or negative space, and the Japanese aesthetic concepts: Mono no aware, Yugen, Wabi-sabi. Beauty is found in the in the silence that of the residual echoes of a monastery's bell, or hearing the raindrop pitter-pattering on the remains of lotus or the blossoms fading and falling fill the air.
Thus,Western and Oriental aesthetics are day and night. You will never understand my sorrow, just like the daytime won't understand the darkness of night
____________________________________
Just like climbing a mountain, there are different routes to choose from, leading to the same destination. Compared with science, art is another gateway to the universe, to acquaint with the world and seek for truth
Composition, human proportion, and dimensional perspective in classical oil painting are actually all based on geometry. For example, in the Vitruvian Man, manuscript by Leonardo Da Vinci, he described, “For if a man be placed flat on his back, with his hands and feet extended, and a pair of compasses centered at his navel, the fingers and toes of his two hands and feet will touch the circumference of a circle described therefrom. And just as the human body yields a circular outline, so too a square figure may be found from it.” This is the logic of the human body. Michelangelo also hid anatomy of the human spine and neural anatomy of the human brain in the Sistine Chapel ceiling. This is anatomy.
Nevertheless, Cubism, Impressionism and Surrealism are exceptions. Artists changed the main features of objects or characters in their works to reflect their unique ideas. They have their own definitions of creations and thus, their feelings, thoughts, and beliefs are hidden in the work.
The face is the index of the mind. In this way, many different thriving genres of paintings emerged from classicism.
____________________________________
Appreciating art not only requires high levels of intellectual understanding and cultural literacy, but also favorable timing and geographical and human conditions. Only then do people have the humour to appreciate art. The house of Medici ruled Florence for more than 300 years from the 15th to the 18th centuries. The rulers defused wars with wisdom, while strongly supporting the arts and establishing education. As a result, Italy became the birthplace of the Renaissance.
If people already struggling to make a living, arguing about different religious beliefs, (reality is the sustenance of the spirit, as bread is the foundation of love), appreciating art, and sensual pleasure must naturally take a back seat. Even if they notice, it is merely for keeping up appearances, for example storing art as antiques to show off mystery and elegance. Indeed, individuals in the community still focus on social welfare.I have to acknowledge that sometimes art is associated with profitableness as donating arts to welfare organizations can garner those individuals tax exemption every year. In some ways, just like the friendship, due to realistic ruthlessness, on an unconscious or unintentional level, it is inevitable that friends and artwork have functional purposes. However, there are some things that cannot be decided by theories, purposes and reasons. The pennant moves as the wind blows, it is neither the wind nor the pennant, but because the heart moves.
____________________________________
Western aesthetics is rational, open, and clear, as the study of mathematics and physics. Empirical and metaphysical methods are the basic ways of studying Western aesthetics. As Plato emphasizes in the Symposium, “a beauty that is marvelous in its nature which is knowledge solely of the beautiful itself.” Conversely, Oriental aesthetics are more inclined to a sensible, depictive, imaginative beauty, the use white or negative space, and the Japanese aesthetic concepts: Mono no aware, Yugen, Wabi-sabi. Beauty is found in the in the silence that of the residual echoes of a monastery's bell, or hearing the raindrop pitter-pattering on the remains of lotus or the blossoms fading and falling fill the air.
Thus,Western and Oriental aesthetics are day and night. You will never understand my sorrow, just like the daytime won't understand the darkness of night
____________________________________
Just like climbing a mountain, there are different routes to choose from, leading to the same destination. Compared with science, art is another gateway to the universe, to acquaint with the world and seek for truth
May 10, 2025
Es todo lo que queremos las art hoes: la Historia del Arte explicada a través de la Filosofía de una forma clara y lógica. El tipo argumenta perfectamente cómo es el origen de diferentes escuelas, tradiciones y culturas, y abarca todas las disciplinas, la escultura, pintura, literatura, arquitectura y hasta la música.
Me sorprendió lo vigente que es el razonamiento del autor, establece parámetros y objetividades sobre qué es una buena obra y qué no, qué características debe cumplir y por qué hay artistas que sobreviven al tiempo y otros que quedan en el camino. Y sí, Hipólito Taine te diría que no todo es arte.
Está hermosamente escrito y un poco me arrepiento de no haber tomado apuntes mientras lo leía (aunque hubo unos párrafos que me sirvieron para preparar el tema de un final de la facultad, así que gracias Hipólito por eso también).
Me sorprendió lo vigente que es el razonamiento del autor, establece parámetros y objetividades sobre qué es una buena obra y qué no, qué características debe cumplir y por qué hay artistas que sobreviven al tiempo y otros que quedan en el camino. Y sí, Hipólito Taine te diría que no todo es arte.
Está hermosamente escrito y un poco me arrepiento de no haber tomado apuntes mientras lo leía (aunque hubo unos párrafos que me sirvieron para preparar el tema de un final de la facultad, así que gracias Hipólito por eso también).
April 2, 2018
It’s not a boring book ( maybe the title sounds so) at all!
It’s really an interesting, exciting, and catching book. Tells about philosophy, history, geography, psychology, and art. What art represents, how to judge a good piece of art. Really obsessed with the method author introduced.
Art is to show the elements, and the relation between the elements, in a more exaggerated way. Whether it’s a good piece or not, depends on the elements the artist chooses (whether it’s good elements) and the way the artist use to express ( every force goes in the same direction like rivers go together to the ocean).
It’s really an interesting, exciting, and catching book. Tells about philosophy, history, geography, psychology, and art. What art represents, how to judge a good piece of art. Really obsessed with the method author introduced.
Art is to show the elements, and the relation between the elements, in a more exaggerated way. Whether it’s a good piece or not, depends on the elements the artist chooses (whether it’s good elements) and the way the artist use to express ( every force goes in the same direction like rivers go together to the ocean).
May 29, 2020
希望这是在逛卢浮宫前看到的书……
什么样的水土养育什么样的人 创造什么样的文化产生什么样的作品。外加历史 政治 很多东西都有些必然。有点意思。
BTW看完喜欢希腊了 以后跟对象儿去(˶‾᷄ ⁻̫ ‾᷅˵)
什么样的水土养育什么样的人 创造什么样的文化产生什么样的作品。外加历史 政治 很多东西都有些必然。有点意思。
BTW看完喜欢希腊了 以后跟对象儿去(˶‾᷄ ⁻̫ ‾᷅˵)
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July 3, 2014dfasdf
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2019
部分想法局限于时代，但仍然很棒啦！
January 30, 2020
尽管观点受时代限制，在民族性格形成这一块给了我很多启发，进而讲到对艺术风格的影响也水到渠成。
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews