Western Aesthetics (Theory)

Paper Code: 
24VHA222
Credits: 
5
Contact Hours: 
75.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

The course will enable the students to gain an in-depth understanding of Western Aesthetics and its allied theories given by Western scholars and demonstrate a mastery of the means and methods of Western art historians. They also perform historical and contextual analysis of works of art.

 

Course Outcomes: 

Course

Course Outcomes

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment Strategies

Course Code

Course Title

 

 

 

24VHA222

 

 

Western Aesthetics (Theory)

CO34.  Build up comprehensive understanding of the western aesthetics and varied theories of Plato and Aristotle.

 

CO35 Explain and assess the aesthetics of Renaissance fosucing aesthetic theory of Leonardo Da Vinci, Alberti, and Albert Durer.

 

CO36. Develop skills to appreciate Kantian’s Aesthetics.

 

CO37: Summarise aesthetics of European Romanticism.

 

CO38: Discuss Formalism: Aesthetics considering the works of Turner, Whistler. Oscar Wilde John Ruskin and William Morris.

 

CO39: Contribute effectively in course-specific interaction.

Approach in teaching:

Interactive Lectures, Discussion, Tutorials, Reading assignments, Demonstration of writing and visualizing.

 

Learning activities for the students:

Self-learning assignments, Effective questions, presentation, Giving writing tasks.

Continuous Assessment Test, Semester end examination, Quiz, Solving Problems in Tutorials, Assignments, Presentation, Individual and Group Projects      

 

 

COURSE CONTENT

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” But is it? This course, designed for students with no background in formal philosophy, will examine classic texts in philosophical aesthetics, from Plato to the present. We will explore Western Aesthetic Theory’s central question: “what do we mean when we say something is ‘beautiful’”? It will stress the relevance of aesthetic philosophy for our industrialized world, and will discuss the links between aesthetics and morality, that is, between knowing the beautiful, and knowing the good. The class will begin with a brief overview of aesthetic theory in ancient Greece, and then consider Renaissance and Neo-classical theories, followed by a review of noted philosopher Immanuel Kant’s theories of aesthetics, as well as his counterparts in England: the “Romantics,” – especially Coleridge and Wordsworth. The course will end with a look at modern challenges to traditional aesthetic theory coming from feminist, post-colonial and other “postmodern” perspectives. Liberal use of overhead projections of pictorial and narrative art, and of musical examples, will add a practical dimension to the course.

 

15.00
Unit I: 
Introduction to Aesthetics, Plato, Aristotle

Introduction. Examination of terms used in aesthetics. Discussion of the aims of philosophy in general, and of aesthetics in particular, Its Meaning, Purpose and Scope.

The Greeks, especially in the context of Sixth Century Athens. Plato and Aristotle on beauty. What is the role of “imitation” in the arts–that is, what exactly does art “imitate”? Is it nature itself? Or the “spirit” within nature? Is it the artist’s own mind or impressions? What did Aristotle mean by “catharsis”? Why did Plato want to dismiss poets and artists from his Utopian community? Why did Plato think that the artist was subversive? Well, are the arts subversive, perhaps even intrinsically so? What comparisons can we make between Plato and Aristotle conceptions?

 

15.00
Unit II: 
Renaissance Aesthetics

Conceptions of beauty in the Renaissance, The rise of Humanism and its implications for aesthetic theory of Leonardo Da Vinci, Alberti, Albert Durer, General Trends and characteristics with reference to the developments in Literature, Sculpture, Painting, Music.

 

15.00
Unit III: 
Immanuel Kant: Aesthetics

Immanuel Kant and the Origin of a Science of Aesthetics. Background of the Kantian philosophy. Kant makes the notion of aesthetics central to his philosophy — why? An overview will be presented of Kant’s third critique, the Critique of [Aesthetic] Judgement.

 

15.00
Unit IV: 
European Romanticism: Aesthetics

European Romanticism and the deification of the artist/composer/poet. Can the arts fill the void left by the receding of religion? How important, comparatively, is “creative” thinking as against logical thinking? The Romantic view of “imagination” and the moral importance of the arts.

 

15.00
Unit V: 
Formalism: Aesthetics

Art for Art’s Sake, or “Formalism.” Is art after all the “supreme” good? Is music the “supreme” expression of art? What is the relationship between what is beautiful and what is useful–that is, can or should the arts be “cut loose” from practical considerations? Here, Oscar Wilde is the focus, along with John Ruskin and William Morris. The art of Turner and Whistler will be examined.

 

Essential Readings: 
  1. H.W. Janson, History of Art, Thames & Hudson, 1991 Revised reprint
  2. J G Warry, Greek Aesthetic Theory (RLE:Plato)
  3. H. Blocker and Jennifer Jeffers, Contextualizing Aesthetics: From Plato to Lyotard

Suggested Reading:

  1. Prof. Dr. Kanti Chandra Pandey, Comparative Aesthetics-Indian and Western Aesthetics (Vol1 & 2)
References: 

E-Resources:

  1. https://www.britannica.com/topic/aesthetics/The-development-of-Western-aesthetics
  2. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacques-Derrida
  3. https://literariness.org/2017/05/14/key-theories-of-jacques-derrida/
  4. https://iep.utm.edu/jacques-derrida/
  5. https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/obo-9780190221911/obo-9780190221911-0003.xml

 

Academic Year: 
2024-2025
  • Printer-friendly version
  • PDF version