Art and monist philosophy in nineteenth century France from Auteuil to Giverny

Abstract

"This is a study of the relation between the fine arts and philosophy in France, from the aftermath of the 1789 revolution to the end of the nineteenth century, when a philosophy of being called "monism" emerged and became increasingly popular among intellectuals, artists, and scientists. Nina Athanassoglou-Kallmyer traces the evolution and impact of this monist thought and its various permutations as a transformative force on certain aspects of French art and culture -from Romanticism to Impressionism- and as a theoretical backdrop that paved the way to as yet unexplored aspects of a modernist aesthetic. Chapters concentrate on three major artists, Théodore Géricault (1791-1824), Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863) and Claude Monet (1840-1926), and their particular approach to and interpretation of this unitarian concept. The book will be of interest to scholars working in art history, philosophy, and cultural history."-- Provided by publisher.

Contents

The Auteuil Salon and Ideology -- Théodore Géricault. Soul and Body -- Self and Nature. Delacroix and the Aesthetics of Unity -- A Cosmic Vision. Monet's Giverny Circle -- Epilogue. Unforgettable: Memory, Matter and Unity.