The Legacy of Neoplatonic Philosophy

Bringing together leading scholars from philosophy, architecture, history, classics, and art history, this volume asks: what are the key concepts in Neoplatonic aesthetics? And what impact have they had on the arts since 3rd century CE? Organized into three parts, in part I four authors examine the theory behind Neoplatonic aesthetics, including in particular the philosophy of beauty, ornament, and the artistic imagination. Based on the thought of Plato, Neoplatonism incorporated influences from Aristotle, Stoicism, and a variety of other philosophical traditions to create a unique school of thought within the Western canon. The second part explores the influence of Neoplatonic thought on the painting, architecture, and music of classical, medieval, and Renaissance Europe. With chapters on Byzantine hymns, the birth of the Gothic, and Vasari''s Saint Michael , the authors bring to life the Neoplatonic influence on European culture and thinking. Finally, part III uncovers the impact of Neoplatonism right up to the modern day through a range of 19th- and 20th-century artistic case studies, from Kandinsky and Malevich to literature, music and world cinema. Unique in its interdisciplinary breadth, historical coverage, and combination of theory and application, The Legacy of Neoplatonic Aesthetics provides a fresh insight into the enduring influence of Neoplatonic thought on the arts of the Western world.>

Préface
In three parts, this interdisciplinary volume examines the theory behind Neoplatonic aesthetics and its impact on various artistic disciplines from the 3rd century CE to the present day.

Auteur
Gina Zavota is Professor of Philosophy at Kent State University, USA.

Contenu
List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction, Gina Zavota Part I: The Neoplatonic Conception of Art and Beauty 1. Plotinus and the Artistic Imagination, John Shannon Hendrix 2. The Beauty in Self Discovery: A Plotinian Response to the Question What Is Art?, Michael F. Wagner 3. The Neoplatonic Theory of Ornament, Michael Harrington 4. Understanding Art through the Invisible: Proclus' Concept of the Image, Christoph Poetsch Part II: Neoplatonism and the Arts of Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance Europe 5. The Tradition of Platonism in Byzantine Hymns from the 4th to 6th Centuries, Sarah Klitenic Wear 6. The Invention of Gothic Architecture as Epistemic Break, Jeffrey Dirk Wilson 7. Giorgio Vasari's Saint Michael: An Archangel of Neoplatonic Splendor, Liana De Girolami Cheney 8. La Primavera as a Cultural Icon of Renaissance Esoteric Psychology, Melanie Mineo 9. Mythologizing Monteverdi: The Marriage of Venus and Mercury, Angela Voss Part III: The Neoplatonic Influence from the 19th Century to the Present Day 10. In the Beginning Was the Sound: Toward a Neoplatonic/Neopythagorean Musical Aesthetic, Jay Bregman 11. The Art of Translation in Stephen MacKenna's The Six Enneads, Jenny Messenger 12. The Quest for the Absolute: Neoplatonism in the Art of Kandinsky, Malevich, and Mondrian, Gina Zavota 13. Modern Art and Sacred Geometry, Emilie Kutash 14. Rothko's Negative Theology, Matthew Lovett 15. Sublime Symbols and a Neoplatonic Aesthetic Unconscious, Marilynn Lawrence 16. Grasping Sacred Veils: Pseudo-Dionysius for Film Theory and Criticism, Mélanie Walton List of Contributors Index