Abstract

There is no pretension here of discussing "art in general," or of forcing aesthetic categories on a uniquely "unphilosophic" art. The author, following an inquiry into the existential modes of concrete works of art, skillfully develops solutions to the vexing problems of individuality, identity, and authenticity of paintings. His realistic analysis of the creation of paintings, of their complex causal elements, suggests the conclusion that paintings are not imitations or reflections of nature, but are themselves natural objects. This conclusion necessitates a fundamental distinction between paintings and pictures, and by virtue of this distinction the author seeks to overcome many of the "metapictorial" problems posed by religious and social art and especially by the "abstract" revolution in modern art. His case for modern painting and for its relevance for philosophic inquiry is both penetrating and enlightening.--J. F. D.