Baroque Reason: The Aesthetics of Modernity

184 Pages·1994·2 MB·English

by  Christine Buci-Glucksmann

TheoCruyl,t uSroec iety
&
TheoCruyl,t &u Sroec iceattyfe ortrsh ree surgoefin ncteei rne st
cultwuirtehc ionn tempsoorcasircayil e anncde htuhmea nities.
Buildonit nhghe e riotfac glea ssictahle osroybc,oi oastkleh rei es
examiwnaeyissnw hitchhti rsa dihtabiseo enrn e shabpyae n de w
generoaftti hoeno rIitws italsll.sp ou bltihseho reitnifcoarlmleyd
analoyfse evse ryldiapfyoe p,u clualrt aunrndee ,wi nteecltlual
movements.
EDITOMR:i kFee athneerU,sni tvoseirotfyT eesside
SERIEESD ITORIBAOLA RD
RoyB oy,nU eniverosfNi otyr utmhbraitNa e wctalse
MikHee pwo,rU tnihvseirotfyA berdeen
ScoLtats Uhn,i veorfLs aintyc aster
RolaRnodb esrotnU,ni vseirotfyP ittsgbhu r
BryaSn.T unrerD,e akUininv seirty
Recevnotl uimneucsdl e:
RisSkoc iety
TowaradN se wM odernity
UlriBcehc k
MaxW ebera ndt heS ocioloogyfC ulture
RalSpchh roeder
PostmodernUiStyA
TheC riosfSi osc Mioadle rniinPs oms tAwmaerr ica
AnthoWnoyo diwiss
TheN ewP olitiCcsl aosfs
SocMioavle meanntCdsu ltDuyrnaalm iinAc dsv anScoecdi eties
KlaEudse r
TheB ody andS ociaTlh eory
ChrSish illing
SymboliEcx chanagnedD eath
JeaBna udrillard
SocioloigynQ uestion
PieBroruer dieu
EconomoifesS ignasn dS pace
ScoLtatsa hn Jdo hUnr ry
ReligainodnG lobalization
PetBeery er
BAROQUREE ASON
ThAee sthoefMt oidcesr nity
ChristBiuncei -Glucksmann
Trasnltaedb yP artikc Camiller
Witha nI tnordutciobny
BryaSn. T urner
SAGEP ublications
LondonT housaOnadk s NewD elhi
• •
PN
763
B8413
1994
SCOT!'
Originally LpaRu abilsibosanhr eoqdbu yEea d si tions
GaliPlaere©i, s E,d itiGoanlsi 1l89e4e ,
Transl©a StaigoPenu blica19t94i ons,
IntroducBtriyoaSnn.T u©rn e1r99,4
Firpsutb li1s9h9e4d
Publiisnah sesdio actwiiotnThh e orCyu,l t&u rSeo ci,e ty
SchooofHl u maSnt udUineisv,e rosfTi eteys side
All rriegsheetdrNs.vo p arotft hpiusb licmaatybei on
reprod,u csetidonarr eedt riseyevsmat,tl r ansmoirt ted
utiliinaz nefydo romr abnymy e anesl,eo cntirc,
mecha,np ihcoatloicnorgpe,yrc doionrog t her,w iwsiethout
permissiworni tfriionnmt g h Peu blishers.
SAGEP ublicLattdi ons
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BritLiisbhr ary CatianPl uobgluiicndagat tiaon
A catalroegcuofero tdrh bioso ikas v ailabtlhee from
BritLiisbhr ary.
LibraorfCy o ngrescsa taclaogr ndu mber9 3-086832
TypebsyeP th otnotpTr,oi rquDaeyv,o n
PrinitnGe rde Barti tbayBi indd IeLst dG,u ild,fS ourrdrey
CONTENTS
IntroidounBcr:ty Sa.nT urner 1
BaroquRee asonT:h eA estheotfiM csod ernity 37
ParOtn e AArnc haeooflM oogdye rniAtnyg:e Nlouvsu s 41
1A ngeSlpiaccA en:g eNlouvsu as,nO verwhelming
Picture 53
2B aroqSupea cTeru:ae srpie:Al llegaosOr ryi gin 63
3B audelaSipraecAae Mn:o deBma roque 74
4T heS paocfeW ritTihnegA :n gel a'nSdc eotnfhe e'
WritIinntg h':eP rimFeovrae(ls Urtw'a ld) 82
ParTtw oT heU topoifta h Fee min:Bi ennejamin's
Treajcto2r y. 91
5 CatastrUotpoahp:Tiih setF eminaisAn lel egory of
Modernity 97
6 AnthropoUltoogpioicraa ,lT ' hHee rooifn es'
Modernity 106
7T ransgrUetsospi'ivIaem: a Fgreo ntoifWe rrist'i ng
anHdi story 110
8A ppned:iV xiennFeisgeuo rfOe tsh erneFesmsi:n inity
anJde wishness 115
Part TBharreoeqR ueea son 125
9 AnA esthoeftO itchse rness 129
10S aloomreT ,h eB aroqSucee nogorfaDp ehsyi re 144
11T heS taogfte h Meo deamn tdh Leo ookfM edusa 163
Index 175

INTRODUCTION
BryanS .T urner
Aesthettihce ory
ChrisBtuicnie- Glucbkrsimlaslntinuao'dnfmsyt o desrno ctihaelo ry
isc oncewrnietdth h wea yisnw hiscohc rieaall ciatbnie er se pre­
sentaenddi, np artiwciuttlhha pero ssmiebalneos fr eprnetsieng
'mode'rnM.io trysep ecifisctaisllhllwey,a nttosu nderstthaen d
aesthseytsitocefm m osd erniRteyp.r esecnotnacteitrnohsne multi­
plwea ys in whiccahbn e r eeanlciotdsieyedss t oiefnsm i gan s,
typitcharlolwuyhg ahwt er egaarsad r rte,l iagnildoa nn gutahgaet,
ist hrosuygmhb oolridceA ress.t hiestni acrsr odwelfiyna estd h e
philosoofap rohtrym, o rber oaadsalt yh eoorfby e auIthtya .bs o th
at heorweitni(gcw ahlaa rtte h dei scusryssitvbeeywm hsi acw ho rk
ofa ritds e fineadn?adp) r acdtiicmaeln( shiooiwnas r ptr odeud?c).
Aesthaestad i icssc iaprloiisnntee h l ea etieg htceeennttuhr y when
philosloipAkhleee rxsa Gnodtetrrl eiceobg ntihzatethsd ec iences
werien completea,b sgeionvfaces enc iteohnfbeec a eu .t( yWen eed
tor ememtbheatrth G ee rman nostciioeonnrW c isoesf e nsftc ihsa
mucbhr oatdheartn h nea rrpoows ituinvdiesrts toafsn cdiienngc e
whicthy piccahlalrya cttehrEein zgelsi sh-wsoplre.da)Ek airnlgy
aesthtehteiowcre ireceso ncenrnoestdo m uch witha pspernes­ory
hensoifor ne alaiswt iytt hh teh eoorfpy o etwrhyo,s e wtaosp ic
thoutgobh ett hmee anoifnb ge auty. Aweassstu hbesteiqcuse ntly
develobpyKe adn itn C riuteoi qf Pure iRn1e 7a8sa1on ndi n
CritoifJq uudeeg nmitn1 790t oi nclbuodtaeh s cieonfpc eer ception
anadj udgeambeontutat s Itnte h.ne i netceeennttauher syt,h etics
wasc oncernweidtt hh ep hilosoofpa rh(tyi mtoss cto mmon
meanianngdw) i tshe nspoerryc epotfbi eoanu Tthye.i deoaf
decadienn cetc heanttw uarssy u mmariintz heiedd eoaf' ratf or
arts'askI enf' a.Bc et nja(m91i8n31 :06, )i nt h'eA ddentdo'u Tmh'e
Paroifts h See coEnmdp iirnBe a ude'ld,aa itrteehsi s development
fro1m8 5w2h etnh e bourwgietohidsfrireeowa m n yp olitical
involvientm hecena tu osfew ritaenrads r tiAsrtbtse .g taonl ose
ansyo crioallee s,p eciinra elllaytt oi opno litics.
2 INTRODUCTION
Inr ecednetc asd,cel asaseisctahlhe atbsie cecsnr itifcoirz eidt s
allegseudpleyrc iloarit mous n ivleirssTmah.ic sh allteoun ngie­
versaclaibnse tm r acbeadctk oN iethzesc'crsi toiftq huee Kantian
notitohnat th e aejsdutgheemteoinfctt a sitsne e ut,pr aaslsionless
andd isinteIrnhe isistd eeodaft. h peh ysioolfao rgNtyi, e tzsche
claitmheradat p taunrdder eam trhaatrnha etrii onnsaple wcetrieo n
thbea soifts h aee sthsettaTithcee .Ns iee tzsicdheoeanas n e motion,
discoaunradse es thheattdih cesi r immopdaectrthn o ounpg ahrtt ly
throtuhgweho rokfM artHieni de(g9g17e.9rT ) hutsh iem paocft
modern languahgaebs e pehtnioc lhoasloltpehhnneygo et itohna t
'aritasu' n ivaelir,ms mtuabplhee nomeInnosnt.e ahda ts'ob a er t'
seeinn a socainohdli osgtioccroainlctt aa,elnx tdh utsha ee sthetic
quesbteicoonm ae ss ociologisceaotlfc uolntaeun:rsd ao wlch iaatl
circumsptraondcu'ectsea s(s Btoeu'er ud1,i9 84)?
Aesth(eatasit chse oorfby e auitnty h)te w entcieentthhu arsy
beecna lilnetdqo u estbiyto hnde e strupcotwieovrfwe a ra ntdh e
violoefnt chmeeo desrtna Itnpe a.r titchucelo anrc entcraamtpiso n
andm ass geonfot chHieod leo chaauvspetl acaef du ndamental
douibntt h meo demrni nd atbhvoeeu rptyo ssiobfti hlbeie tayu tiful
and stuhbmele iT.h eF rankSfcuhrlote,o s peciinta hlaele ys thetic
theoorfTy h eodAodro rnaod,o pttehvdei etwh aatsa, c onse­
quenocfte h Heo losctap,uo etwrayis m posstihpberl oed;u cotfi on
beauwtaysa mere mockterruvyea louifena s w orld of total
violeTnhcuest.,h ed estructciloans scioocnfafi ld einntc hee
univerosfba elaiutityscy o nnewcittethdh eer osoifor ne ligious
valuaentsdh ree lativoifmz oartailoint y.
Thesper oblleimaestt hcee ntorfte h aee sthceotnicceo rnfs
WaltBeern jawmhions,we r itoinna grsat r,t hainsdpt oolriyt ics
havdeo minamtuecodhf t hlea ttew entiethd-ecbeaantbteou urty
aesth(eittnih ces bsreonasdBe e)n.j a(m81i9n2 -1f9a4i0tl)oe d
o\)taainan c adepmoisictn G erm;amfyth eirts h eosni s German
tradgriacm (ahT eO rigoifGn e rmaTrang iDcr am[a91 77w]a)s
rejeactFt readn kifn1u 9r.2tH 5 es ubseqbueecnatamlteyt acthoe d
thMea rxsiosctti haelo roifts hFteras n kfSucrhtoa osol n oef t heir
mosptr omiaseisntgh tehteiocr ists hi(rsae lltahtwoiiuotgnhhs
Adorno rehmiagihpnlreyod b lce.)mH aets itudtihepedo etorfy
CharBlaeusd eldauirrihenie gsx iilnPe a riin1s 9 3a3s ,t uwdhyi ch
produCcheadr Blaeusd elAa iLryer:i ci nt Phoee toEf Hr iag h
Capit(a9l18i,3sw )mh iwcahsp ublipsohsetdh umion1u 9s6lH9ye.
commitstueidci ind1 e9 4d0u rian fgo rlaotrtne tmope ts cape
fascbiysm mi graftrionsmgo uthFerrannt coSe p aiBne.n jamin's
work nweagsl eucntteidlo, r tighGieen ramlpa unb licoafTt hieo n
OrigofiG ne rmTarang Dirca mian1 595,s inwchee tnh ehraebs e en
a majorre viovfia nlt eresth.a vbeTe heemnra ej orre vioefw s·
INTRODUCTION 3
Benjamwionri'knGs e rmaFnr,e nacnhEd n gl(iEsahtg oln1e8,9 1;
Fuld1,97 G9a;i n1e9s9,R3 o;b er1t9s8,2 ; 1W9o9l.i3 n)B,u ci­
Glucksmianntne'rsp reBteantjiaiomisninm n ao nfry e spoencoetf s
them ossto phistaincdoa rtiegdiH neartl e.x wth,i cihsf ully
transhleartieen dE nglfiostrhh efi rstti mies,a powerfully
imangaitrievceo voeftr hywe o rolfdB enjamoiwnni' msa gionna,t i
givfiunplgll a aysi dto etsot hJee wimsyhs tpiecraslp eocntt hiev e
unofldionfrg e lighiiosuttsoot r hyie,m portoafbn octleha nguage
anad esthpehtiilco sionp hBye nhjiafsmac isinn,a ftoiProa nr isian
consusmmet,rh iper obloefBm asu delpaoieritemi'acsg inaantdi on
nihilanids mht,ih set ocroincnaelcb teitownoeste hn ernweosmse,n
anJdu da.iB sumci-Glauncnsk'pssem ccioanlc weirntt hhf eu nction
ofa lle,gp oarryticbualraoraqlluyle e geoarsyop/nrr,ec icsaepltyu res
onoef t hceo ries siuneb so tBhe njamaiens'tsha enthdii cssso cial
thre.yo
Languatgreu,ta hn dbe auty
TheR omanitdieca 'tthraiutstb he aubteya,u ttryu,ht ahd'a n
ancioerniitngI .ta sserts arne lianttibioemntaswthweeihe pan t we
valiunea esthteetrimacsn ,wd hat pweer cetiobv ete r uTthha.t
whiwcehv alauste r uael shoaa se sthaeuttihcoW reim tiyg.ah lts o
addw:h acta rrmioersca oln victhiaoasnn a easltshoae uttiihcto yr.
Int raditsioocinieaetslth, e wraesr elatliivtedtlielyfre fe ntiation
betwteherene alomros r deorfrs e loinmg,oi ra,lr ietgyiomfte rsu th
and repreosfbe enatuaTtthyieb.o r nesa ko ft- huiepn tegwroartledd
oft raditsioocniaebltr ioeusga hbto uat f rmaegntabteitowne en
langutargueat,nh dr eligio-moTrhaiblsr eoarkhd-eaubrspes e.n
givveanr iforoumsu iloanttsh:et ransfirtoicmoo nm muntiot y
assoicointa,htm eo dernizparteoicsoosnr, t hsee cularainzda tion
disenchaonftr meeanlFtio trey x.a m,pu lnedetrh ei mpaocft
Romanstm,it chiecsoen necbteitownemseo nr alaintdaye sthetics
wergei vens trao nsgulbyj ecatndii vned ividrueasloinsatnicce ,
becabuesaeu wtaygs i vaenne motainvpder ivactoinzteTedhn et .
coherentchriees l oaft iboentswhaeieepsn t haentmdio crsa wlaist y
brokientn hm eo dewmo rblydt hdei efrfentoifat thaieeo snt haes tic
as epardaotmeaw iint ho winat ust onaonmldy o gTihcea. e sthet­
icizoaftt iheoevn e rywdoarwyla dys e atf urtdheevre loipntm heen t
evaluaotfri eopnr esenotfba etaiuwothnyis c h ocwciuttrhhr ee d
developomfce anpti taanldi scmto hmem odifiocfat thileoi nf e­
wor.lM dansyo cialc acmrteios t eitech sdi esv eloapsmp eanrottf
thael ienoafht uimoanbn e inugnsd tehrce o mmodifiocfla itfieo n
antdh eev oluotfaif oesnth iiosfcm o nsucsinoeTshsaw.th ich could
4 ITNRODUCTION
bee xchawnagtser du teh;wa hti ccohu blebd o ugwhatvs a luTehde.
tradietqiuoantaoilfmo onrsa laietsyt,ha entdti rcust h were over­
turnbeytd h erseev olutdieovnealroypi mnte hnseto sc oiragla niz­
atiooftn h eec onoTmhyei. m paocnrt e liagniador n-t a renians
whidcihv vianlehu aebdse etnr aditeimobneadl-dlweyad es q ually
pronfdoTu.r aditrieolniagvlia oluuwsee srm ea rginaalritz eldo;s t
mucohfi tcso nvenrteiloingaailuo rjuasus,ta si tusn iquewnaess s
loasstm echanmiecaanolsfr eproidouencs,tp ecpihaoltlpoyhg rya,
becadmoem inBaenntj.a (m91i8n,6i )nh iasr tiocn'l Seru eral'i,s m
claitmheatdth m eo vemheandtfi n alblryo ktehnre i tuaalnids tic
relicgoinotuweshx itc hs ehpaadr aartfter dol mi Afsea .r estuhlet
way wihni ch thceo ubwleodr r elpsdre ent(eopdri ctuwraeasdl )s o
revolut(iLoansi1hz9,e9. d0T )hep ictoufrt eh e wboercladm e
a merec onnvteion, dniovti noearl dye rreedg imBeu.c i­
Glucks'mssat nunodfby a rorqeuaes ons/ernetpaartneimdoo nd ern
aesthetiocfsc a/pmtoudbreeisan ucgta ybn e s eeansa ne xtended
reflecotnti hoents rea nsforamtta htrcieroein tsoi rcc aatlap shtirco
poinitnts h hei stoerriucpatolif mo ond ernitthyse:e venteenth­
centbuarryo ,qt uhee woofBr aludd elPaaiirrsae,n' tdsh aev ant­
garadret imsotviecm eonftt hste w entcieentthuI rnly i.t eorra ry
culttuerramlts h,e csrei hsaevshe a da strocnogn nection with
prolbemosfr epreisoennat,na dt thweirtlehab nyg uaangdse y m­
bol.iA stmt hcee ntorfte h edseeb awteec sa,ln o catthdeei verse
andc omplseoxc ipahli losoofBp heyn jamai kne,yfi gurien
twentietha-ecsetnhttehuterioyacr n yda corteh emienB uci­
Glucks'masan nanlysis.
Inc ontemppohrialroyst ohpethsryea divtiieoownftsa r lu th and
beauty habveeec nh tahlulseb nycg headn ignet sh teh eoorfy
languaanigdnpe a rtibcysu tlraurlc itasuptrp aroatcoh elsa nagsu age
as ystoefdm i fferenceosfl. a nTghuheaaogvdreeoi meisn ated many
oft hmea jsohri afntddse velo,tpsim npe hnilosaoraptnh sdyo ,c ial
pracitnit chteew entcieentthuI rnfy a.cs tt ruacltiuhsramts r ans­
formeevde brrya nocfth h heu maniatnsidoe css icaile bnecceasu se
cultpuhreanlo maernea nsoewea nst exwthsi ccha no nly be
approabcyht ehdce r itmiectahloo dfls i terary( Vtasittmuod,i es
198.8E )pistemoqluoegsitc(iaholoni wsst ruth cperdho?ad)vu e
alwaiynts hh ei stoofpr hyi losionptheyrc alcotsweeidlt oyhn tologi­
caqlu est(iwohncasat en x isatn?wd)i tahe stheti(cw hniaostt ions
beau?t)iIf.ntu hlceo ntempwoorraltrdhyt,i r sa diptrioobnlaelm atic
habse egni vae nn aenwdd e cidsiirvieeoc nwth:a cta bne k nown,
what caann wdeh xacitas bnte e xperiiemsna cdepedo ss(iabnlde
impossbiytb hlseet )r ucotftu hrleea nguwahgieic ashv ailtaoab le
socsiyaeslmt O.n ei nterproefst uacgthri aomnm adteitcearlm inism
ist harte aliisat fyu nctoifao rne giomfew ordtsh,ai t,s a
ITNRODUCTION 5
governmweonrtd Isons.f e venteentpho-siciveti,ns tmwucera yn
tratcheoe r igoiftn hsce o rrespotnhdeeoonrfcty er utwhh,i ch
assetrhtatsth eirsea direacntdr elatsiivmeprlleyel ationship
betwleaenng uargeea slauinctdthy h tahtfe u cntioofln a nguitasog e
regiisntn eearu trale lfeamseohnftit hofsena ctwuoarllL da.n guage
proivdeassi, t w er,e mai rroofnr a tu(rReo r1t9y7,.9I )nt he
twentcieentthtu hreyhr,ae bs e eanr adischaiilfnh t o ww et hink
aboluatn guIanmg oed.e srtnr urcatl,uil samnguiaisgn et erparse ted
eitphreord urceiantlghi rtoycu ognhs tiroounrc,m t akipnogs sainb le
alwapyasr taipaphlre ensoifro ena lIinpt ayr.tl iatcrhu,ie m paocft
Ferdindaen dS ausCsouurriesn'Ge s e neLrianlg uiosf1t 9i1c6s
(1599h)a rsa dictarlalnys fuonrdmeerds toaftn hdreie nlga tionship
betwewoernd asn dt hinogrms o,r gee nerbaeltlwye en arneda lity
discourse.
BrieSflayu,s shuarader guaen du mboeffr nu damepnrtoaplo si­
tiownesm :u sdti stinbgeutiwselhea nn gu(algaen agnudsep )e ech
(paer,)ot lhaits , betweeansa s loacrniegasuloa uogrfeec vee ryday
pracatnildca en guaasag s ey stoefem l emewnhtiascr hse t ructured
byt rans-soacnildao lg wirecmu sul;sef tsu rtdhiesrt ibnegtuwiesehn
thsey nchsrtounodiflyc a nguaasags ey stoefmh ias torreilcaatli ons
whiicash collceocntsitovrfeus coatc giraolua pn,td h dei achronic
stuodfty h uen plaannnuden dc onscchiaonuwgshe istc ahkp el aicne
languianug seea ;nfid n allyi tsth hseet ruoedft y h deo uble-nature
oft hlei ngusiiswgthnii ccco hm prtihsee sc oncespotu onardn d the
acouismtiacgT eh.er elatiboentswhetiehpne t sweoi sa rbi;t rary
theirnseo i nteornrna elc esrsealrayt iboentswhteihecpeno ncoefp t
doagn d vtahreis oouusn( d'osdg, '' dHeurn do'r' dheo dn'M)o.r e
technyi,tch raeel llatiboentswhseiiepgn n isfiiegrnsia,fin erdde sf er­
entasr biist Trhaiirsdy eb.ae catmhebe a soifsr aad icchaall lteon ge
thceo rrespotnhdeeonrctyer u,otb fhe cauistue n coupalneyd
simprleel aotfri eoflne cbteitowne en laannndag tuuaSrgaeeu. s sure
fcousperdi maornli alnyg uaasag s ey stoefsm i grnast htehrao nn
speeacsah p eorrfmataicvvtiei.t H yet hereaftotreem tpost heodw
thamte aninlga nignuw aagnseo atn i ndigenouosfw ofredast ure
butth per odoufcd ti fferebnectewsjex eutna posseedot fsd ichoto­
mieusp:/ d,ow went/odrrg yo odlbTahdem. e anionfrg e ality,
acrcdoitnogs tructiunrtaelripsrtoe ftS aatuisosntushr eeo'orsfy
lang,ui assgu estabiytn heeedf foefdc itef rfenbceetsw oeredneo rfs
words. Alta nbgeudsaitgs,ec lroesaeltsih tryo ugshy staoe fm
diefrfences.
Thirse latsiivmepslleoyetf n otihoanpssr oduecxetdr aordinarily
radiccoanls equIeitnws cr eostn.oga ssutmheaS ta usshuahrsae d a
direefcftoe cnat l vle rsoifo nss truacntdpu orsatl-issattlr iusctt ur
thoutghhetar:re ve a ri'otuisag nh'dtol 'o se' voefsr tsriuocntsu ralis-