Reviews

On Beauty: A History of a Western Idea by Umberto Eco, Girolamo De Michele

romrosp's review against another edition

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S. 245
David Hume, Über die Regel des Geschmacks, XXII (ca. 1745)
Für das Erkennen der Schönheit ist Ubung so wichtig, daß wir vor einem Urteil über ein bedeutsames Werk der Dichtung dieses Werk mehrmals gründlich durchlesen und mit Aufmerksamkeit und Uberlegung unter verschiedenen Aspekten prüfen müssen.

Jemand, der keine Gelegenheit hatte, verschiedene Arten der Schönheit zu vergleichen, ist völlig ungeeignet, eine Meinung über ein ihm vorgelegtes Werk zu außern. Nur durch Vergleichen können wir lernen, ob ein Werk anzuerkennen oder abzulehnen ist und welches Maß an Lob oder Tadel es verdient.

breadandmushrooms's review against another edition

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informative reflective medium-paced

4.75

stef369's review against another edition

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5.0

Prachtig uitgegeven editie, met heel veel illustraties en citaten van een standaardwerk. Umberto Eco laat zich hier vooral horen als semanticus en kunstkenner. Wat is Schoonheid, is de vraag die hier gesteld wordt. Jawel, mét hoofdletter. Van de Griekse kunst tot Pop-art geeft Eco ons een historisch overzicht van alle opvattingen over die Schoonheid. Verwacht hier vooral geen klassieke kunstgeschiedenis, maar een zeer eigenzinnige en intellectuele visie op esthetiek. Niet steeds eenvoudig om te lezen, dus. Het boek zit vol kleine citaten, die echt de moeite waard zijn om te lezen en die je nieuwsgierigheid prikkelen om het vervolg ervan te gaan lezen. Een boek om te koesteren in je boekenkast en om regelmatig eens open te slaan...

michelemo's review against another edition

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5.0

Mi-a plăcut enorm. Îți dă impresia că trăiești într-un muzeu plin de opere de artă. E plină de imagini cu sculpturi, picturi, desene (acompaniate de scurte texte, descrieri, idei) care îți prind ochii ca într-o menghină și cîte un sfert de oră.

Dacă citești 200 de pagini într-o zi înseamnă nu ești tocmai înclinat spre artă :(

mingmeowmeow's review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective relaxing medium-paced

5.0

irynaqxx's review against another edition

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informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

rationes_seminales's review against another edition

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5.0

(4.5/5 ) It's an impressive book, it explains everything in an orderly and coherent way and for beginners in the subject is a very useful book, it does not have a very confusing language.

karinacc's review against another edition

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5.0

To read and reread and keep reading again. Truly loved it.

blueyorkie's review against another edition

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3.0

A very documented and academic study of beauty through art, a relevant and written reflection on aesthetics, significantly changed over the centuries.

rachelleahdorn's review against another edition

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4.0

Dense.

I had to simply assign myself to get through the book. Though I read the book and made an honest attempt to absorb a goodly amount of the information, I suspect that I missed entire theses in my reading.

One reason is that the writing in supported with both images and text. Before I began the book I thought it was mostly an art historical history of beauty. I didn't realize how great a role writing, especially poetry and philosophy, would play in the theories expressed and discussed in the book. I am an artist and art instructor, but my grounding in philosophy is mediocre and my poetry background is almost nil. I was much better able to understand the arguments and explanations when they referred to art images (those included in the book or those left out) than when they were supported by poetry, philosophy, literature or music.

The writing is very academic and the book is full of both quality color reproductions of artworks and excerpts from many many written works. In the written works context was sometimes limited and this added to my feeling of being lost or confused.

I would expect the book to be used more as a textbook--a graduate level textbook supported by other text, readings and discussions. This is not a light read.