Name: The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction: An Influential Essay of Cultural Criticism; the History and Theory of Art (Hardcover)
Price: 33.19 EUR
Availability: InStock
Author: Walter Benjamin
ISBN: 9780359046386

portada The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction: An Influential Essay of Cultural Criticism; the History and Theory of Art (Hardcover)

The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction: An Influential Essay of Cultural Criticism; the History and Theory of Art (Hardcover)

Type

Physical Book

Author

Walter Benjamin

Harry Zohn

Publisher

Lulu.com

Language

English

Pages

Format

Hardcover

Dimensions

22.9 x 15.2 x 0.6 cm

Weight

0.23 kg.

ISBN13

9780359046386

Synopsis "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction: An Influential Essay of Cultural Criticism; the History and Theory of Art (Hardcover)"

Walter Benjamin discusses whether art is diminished by the modern culture of mass replication, arriving at the conclusion that the aura or soul of an artwork is indeed removed by duplication. In an essay critical of modern fashion and manufacture, Benjamin decries how new technology affects art. The notion of fine arts is threatened by an absence of scarcity; an affair which diminishes the authenticity and essence of the artist's work. Though the process of art replication dates to classical antiquity, only the modern era allows for a mass quantity of prints or mass production. Given that the unique aura of an artist's work, and the reaction it provokes in those who see it, is diminished, Benjamin posits that artwork is much more political in significance. The style of modern propaganda, of the use of art for the purpose of generating raw emotion or arousing belief, is likely to become more prevalent versus the old-fashioned production of simpler beauty or meaning in a cultural or religious context.

Walter Benjamin

(Author)

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Walter Benjamin was a prominent philosopher, literary critic, and art and history theorist born in Berlin, Germany. His work and critical thinking have had a profound influence on 20th century cultural studies.
Benjamin was born into a wealthy Jewish family and grew up in an intellectually stimulating environment. From an early age, he showed an interest in literature, music, and art.
In the 1920s, after serving in the German army during World War I, he joined the Frankfurt School, a circle of German intellectuals and social critics interested in transforming Marxist ideas. There, he met other thinkers like Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer who were major influences on his work and worldview.
Throughout his life, Benjamin was also deeply interested in politics and social issues. During the years of the Weimar Republic, he actively participated in the cultural and literary field. However, the rise of Nazism to power in 1933 forced him to leave Germany. He first went into exile in Paris and after the French occupation, Benjamin tried to escape to Spain to embark towards the United States, but was detained at the French-Spanish border. Faced with the imminent threat of being handed over to the German authorities, the author decided to end his life.

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