>abstraction, Worringer said, was as natural to human expression as imitation, and both existed side by side, as in E. art. His comments had very little to do with "abstract art" and everything to do with "abstraction". Try to hold that thought long enough to at least get the gist of it. WC
Not so, William. To begin with, Worringer made the strong assertion that imitative expressions, like the ancient Egyptian "Scribe" have nothing to do with aesthetics and should not be considered as art. Here's a very famous statue to which I suppose he was referring: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seated_Scribe It's hardly a life-cast, is it? Wouldn't you say it was the result of a process of "abstraction"? It's way too "abstract" for the wax-museum sculptors of today, and if you play the explanatory video on the Louvre's website, you will be shown how it's overall shape approximates a triangle. Yet, this is the example that Worringer gave as work that was "quite separate from the artistic impulse in the true sense" Then, consider his follow text: "We would misinterpret the psychological conditions of the origin of this abstract art form if we were to say that the yearning for regularity made men consciously grasp at geometric regularity, for this would presuppose an intellectual preoccupation with geometrical form, would make it appear a product of deliberation and calculation. We are much more justified in assuming that here we have a purely instinctive creation, that the tendency to abstraction has created this form with elementary necessity without the intervention of the intellect. Just because the intellect had not distubed the instinct, the innate disposition toward regularity could find abstract expression..These abstract regular forms are thus the only and the highest forms in which man can rest in face of the immense confusion of the cosmos" Got it? "abstraction" is not the process of "abstracting from" something that has been observed, but it is an "innate disposition toward regularity", especially satisfied by geometrical form. Like the pyramid was for the ancient Egyptians (and I've yet to read of any other examples that Worringer has offered from that period - although I'll get his entire book to look for them. I find him entertaining, even if he has been canonized by the modern art world) ____________________________________________________________ Shutterfly Official Site Share & Print Photos Now. 25 Free Prints For New Members. Join Today! http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2231/c?cp=k1B3yboRs3PW9ZFQrhTPTAAAJz6c l_zTaptgNR5c8Mer1v9kAAUAAAAAAAAAAJZDiz7vyjugDu3T2LHxy4AKiIEVAAAAAA==
