The Preference for the Primitive: Episodes in the History of Western Taste and Art

ISBN-13: 9780714846323 / Angielski / Miękka / 2006 / 324 str.

E. H. Gombrich

Opis

- Professor Gombrich's last book and first narrative book in over 20 years
- Studies the idea that older and less sophisticated (i.e. 'primitive') artworks are somehow morally and aesthetically superior to later works that have become soft and decadent
- Takes a long view of the subject, finding the theme expressed in key documents in Classical Antiquity, resuming the debate in the 18th century, and culminating in an examination of the radical expressions of primitivism in modern times
- Summing up more than 40 years of study and reflection on this theme, the book presents a closely argued narrative supported by extensive quotations that document with precision the role of authors, critics and artists in shaping and changing opinion
- Important both as a personal testament and as a documentary anthology, this long-awaited book fittingly provides a deep and revealing insight into the history and psychology of taste