Robert vischer on the optical sense of form pdf

Prolegomena to a psychology of architecture heinrich wo. The aesthetic philosophy of empathy was applied extensively to the visual arts by. Empathy, experience and the body in art historical discourse. He is credited with being the first to use the word einfuhlung to explain how we feel into or infeeling of works of arts and nature in his work, on the optical sense of form. One path leads in a formalist direction, through johann friedrich herbart and robert zimmermann. Robert vischer 18471933 german german art historian and philosopher the projection of feelings into art work. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the most definitive collection ever assembled. A contribution to aesthetics in empathy, form, and space.

Auto suggestions are available once you type at least 3 letters. Empathy is the ability to project oneself into someone elses position and take their perspective for a while. He is credited with the first to use the word einfuhlung to explain how we feel into or infeeling of works of arts and nature in his work, on the optical sense of form. Pdf on jan 1, 2002, philip beesley and others published skin deep. May 15, 2018 is there a relationship between aesthetic and interpersonal experience. Robert vischer from on the optical sense of form 1872. References 1 robert vischer, on the optical sense of form. Problems in german aesthetics, 18731893 santa monica, ca. Observations on the nature and history of architecture conrad fiedler.

This essay, which is widely regarded as one of the founding texts in aesthetic theory of empathy, leads the reader into a series of propositions concerning. Friedrich nietzsche from the use and abuse of history 1872. It was the first mention of the word einfuhlung in this form in print. In robert vischer s on the optical sense of form 1873, einfuhlung refers to the manner in which beholders comprehend an artwork by feeling into it or projecting themselves into its forms. A contribution to aesthetics and five others that constitute a uniquely germanic contribution to a modern theory of art and archi. Richard s from on the aesthetic treatment of iron in tall buildings 1878 from co.

Problems in german aesthetics, 18731893 texts and documents series. Robert vischer on the optical sense of form 1873 june etta downey creative imagination 1929 herbert sydney langfeld the aesthetic attitude active passivity gestalt. Ein beitrag zu aesthetik on the optical sense of form. Translated as robert vischer, on the optical sense of form. Vischer was working within a german tradition which had been strongly affected in the midcentury by the aesthetic. A contribution to aesthetics from 1873, in which he further developed the theory of his father6. A contribution to aesthetics, in empathy, form, and space. A contribution to aesthetics, in harry francis mallgrave and eleftherios ikonomou ed. In defense of sympathy, in consideration of empathy, and in.

As mallgrave and ikonomou 1994, 23 explain, according to vischer s hypothesis of projection, in responding aesthetically to an. Liminal states find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Burdett the subjective inside us can turn into the. Jul 31, 2017 the development of psychological aesthetics in the second half of the nineteenth century was closely connected with the theory of aesthetic empathy einfuhlung. Getty center for the history of art and the humanities, 1994, 89123.

Prolegomena to a psychology of architecture heinrich. We have the results of nearly 150 more years of neurological. In 1909, edward titchener, an american psychologist, translated einfuhlung into empathy. One reason for the confusion may be that the english term empathy actually has its origins in an incomplete translation of the german word, einfuhlung, roughly meaning, to feel into, which made its first appearance in an 1873 german doctoral thesis by robert vischer entitled, on the optical sense of form. Robert vischer 22 february 1847, tubingen 25 march 1933, vienna was a german ph. Oct 01, 2011 germanspeaking aestheticians of the nineteenth century followed various paths of inquiry stimulated by kants critique of judgment. A contribution to aesthetics, a brief treatise concerned with the psychology of aesthetics and form perception. A contribution to aesthetics would have been received by the leadingedge intellectuals of his society. Vischer s empathy and the subject of experience we began the course with a reading by the philosopher and art historian robert vischer, entitled on the optical sense of form.

While aesthetics as a philosophical discipline focused on a rather normative understanding of beauty and a theory of art, the empirical approach in aesthetics in the tradition of. A contribution to aesthetics in empathy,form and space. Vischer used the term to describe the viewers active perceptual engagement with a work of art. A contribution to aesthetics in order to designate a sort of personificationthe projection of human feelings on the natural world. Empathetic bodies symbolic forms vischer robert vischer, on the optical sense of form. Nineteenthcentury fortunes of musical formalism journal. Problems in german aesthetics, 18731893, provide rare and valuable translations of robert vischer s seminal 1873 essay on the optical sense of form. Einfuhlung a key concept of psychological aesthetics. While aesthetics as a philosophical discipline focused on a rather normative understanding of beauty and a theory of art, the empirical approach in aesthetics in the tradition of gustav th. A contribution to aesthetics and five others that constitute a uniquely germanic contribution to a modern. Harry francis mallgrave and eleftherios ikonomou, editors of empathy, form, and space. German philosopher rudolf lotze first coined the term empathetic a translation of einfuhlung in 1858 to explain in feeling the way we feel into works of art. Artistic reshaping observations on the nature and history of architecture. An understanding based on the temporary weakening of the limit between oneself and the other.

Fried sees such ideas as giving historical weight to his argument, and, indeed, they are convincing. He says that when we encounter work like this the whole person and all his vital feeling are lured into compassion. Ein beitrag zur aesthetik on the optical sense of form. He said this word referred to when you imagine yourself as being one with a piece of art or literature and feel the emotions that the artist tried to reproduce, so imbuing the piece with relevant emotions. Bachelard, gaston, the poetics of space, selected chapters pdf week 06. It is virtually impossible as an individual immersed in the 20 th and 21th centuries, united states culture to read, seriously consider, and have a sense of how robert vischer s on the optical sense of form.

A contribution to aesthetics, in mallgrave and ikonomou eds. Nineteenthcentury fortunes of musical formalism journal of. As mallgrave and ikonomou 1994, 23 explain, according to vischers hypothesis of projection, in responding aesthetically to an. Richard lucae from on the aesthetic development of iron construction, especially its use in spaces of a significant span 1870. Abstractfriedrich theodor vischer s essay the symbol considers empathy in aesthetics in relation to meaning.

A contribution to aesthetics conrad fiedler observation on the nature and history of architecture heinrich wolfflin prolegomena to a psychology of architecture adolf goller what is the cause of perpetual style change in architecture adolf hildebrand the problem of form in the fine arts. This question is motivated not only by the fact that historically experiences of both kinds have often been accounted for in terms of empathy, the english translation of the german term einfuhlung, but also by the fact that some contemporary theories refer to mechanisms underlying both aesthetic and. While today we often treat empathy as a synonym for sympathy, if notand more commonlyas an improvement on it, empathy at the turn of. Vischer in on the optical sense of form argues that every work of art reveals itself to us as a person harmoniously feeling himself into a kindred object p. For vischer and other early empathy theorists this process was universal. Arc 5205 advanced design theory critical theory in. Artistic reshaping observations on the nature and history of architecture conrad fiedler. Liminal states philip beesley from childhood memories,and from a few others,there emanates a sentiment of being unintegrated,and then later of having gone astray,which i hold to be the most fertile that exists.

Getty center for the history of art american psychologist robert titchener is said to have coined the word. The influence of robert vischer on schmarsows theory is hinted at by mitchell schwarzer, who significantly claims that theodor lipps had coined the. Prolegomena to a psychology of architecture pdf vischer, robert. The english word empathy has its etymological roots in the late19thcentury german term einfuhlung, which literally means in feeling, with its first known usage being attributed to the german psychologist robert vischer in 1873, to describe the ability to project the self into a viewed object such as a piece of art or into another persons situation. Robert vischer 18471933 was also a german philosopher. Problems in german aesthetics 18731893 vischer, robert getty publication programs 1994 comments edit moderate categorize topics more by these authors vischer, robert. In a more general sense, an optical field of the form ax exp i. In viewing an object, he wrote, i entrust my individual life to the lifeless form, just as i. Germanspeaking aestheticians of the nineteenth century followed various paths of inquiry stimulated by kants critique of judgment. Otto wag from on the optical sense ofform 1873 from.