The social and the aesthetic : a study of Diderot and Goethe
Comparative literature on French influence on Goethe is predominantly concerned with Rousseau. In seeking to redress that imbalance, this thesis offers the first comprehensive study of Diderot's and Goethe's art theory. It treats that theory as a whole, and places it in the context of the social and philosophical thought which preceded it. The first part of the thesis studies Diderot's and Goethe's thought on the visual arts and the theatre. That thought reveals different attempts to assert, through the creativity of the artist, man's dominance over nature. This first part also shows that the unrecognised differences between Diderot and Goethe lie less in their discussion of the production of art than they do in their discussion of the beholder. The second part opens with a study of Rousseau. Rousseau's concern to reinstitute in civil society the unmediated exercise of the will assumed from the state of nature grounds a suspicion of the imagination at odds with the art theory discussed in part one. Diderot's unique contribution to the natural law tradition rests, however, on the understanding of the imagination developed within his art theory. For its part, Goethe's art theory of the 1790s provides remarkable
Neil, Allan
Art theory; Dramatic
The social and the aesthetic : a study of Diderot and Goethe. Comparative literature on French influence on Goethe is predominantly concerned with Rousseau. In seeking to redress that imbalance, this thesis offers the first comprehensive study of Diderot's and Goethe's art theory. It treats that theory as a whole, and places it in the context of the social and philosophical thought which preceded it. The first part of the thesis studies Diderot's and Goethe's thought on the visual arts and the theatre. That thought reveals different attempts to assert, through the creativity of the artist, man's dominance over nature. This first part also shows that the unrecognised differences between Diderot and Goethe lie less in their discussion of the production of art than they do in their discussion of the beholder. The second part opens with a study of Rousseau. Rousseau's concern to reinstitute in civil society the unmediated exercise of the will assumed from the state of nature grounds a suspicion of the imagination at odds with the art theory discussed in part one. Diderot's unique contribution to the natural law tradition rests, however, on the understanding of the imagination developed within his art theory. For its part, Goethe's art theory of the 1790s provides remarkable
social aesthetic study goethe comparative literature french_influence goethe predominantly concern rousseau seek_redress imbalance offer first_comprehensive study goethe art theory treat theory whole place_context social philosophical_thought precede first_part study goethe think visual_art theatre think reveals different attempt assert creativity artist man dominance nature first_part also_show unrecognised difference goethe lie less discussion production art discussion second_part open study rousseau rousseau concern civil_society exercise assume state nature ground suspicion imagination odds art theory discuss part_one unique natural_law tradition rest however imagination develop within art theory part goethe art theory provide remarkable