Gombrich, Art and Psychoanalysis

Gombrich has always shown particular attention to the psychology of art as psychology of representation (and enjoyment) of art. In addition, through his friendship with Ernst Kris, who had been a respected art historian in the staff of the Kunsthisthoriches Museum in Vienna before becoming an import...

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Main Author: Stefano Ferrari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Department of Art History, University of Birmingham 2011-12-01
Series:Journal of Art Historiography
Subjects:
Online Access:http://arthistoriography.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/ferrari.pdf
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author Stefano Ferrari
author_facet Stefano Ferrari
author_sort Stefano Ferrari
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description Gombrich has always shown particular attention to the psychology of art as psychology of representation (and enjoyment) of art. In addition, through his friendship with Ernst Kris, who had been a respected art historian in the staff of the Kunsthisthoriches Museum in Vienna before becoming an important psychoanalyst, Gombrich devoted some fundamental essays on the contribution of psychoanalysis to the study of art. The main novelty and the most original feature of his contribution to this field (and which cannot easily be differentiated in general theoretical terms from that of Kris) lies in his focus on Freud’s theories on jokes and in his adherence to the concept of ‘controlled regression in the service of the ego’, introduced by so-called ego psychology . This allowed Gombrich not only to highlight a perfect relationship between Freud’s theoretical thinking and his conservative attitude in the field of aesthetics, but also to use psychoanalysis to underline the historical and cultural character of the processes of representation and enjoyment.
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spelling doaj.art-8d83044019574c3fa0874a5bb7108f122022-12-22T00:33:14ZengDepartment of Art History, University of BirminghamJournal of Art Historiography2042-47522011-12-0155SF/1Gombrich, Art and PsychoanalysisStefano FerrariGombrich has always shown particular attention to the psychology of art as psychology of representation (and enjoyment) of art. In addition, through his friendship with Ernst Kris, who had been a respected art historian in the staff of the Kunsthisthoriches Museum in Vienna before becoming an important psychoanalyst, Gombrich devoted some fundamental essays on the contribution of psychoanalysis to the study of art. The main novelty and the most original feature of his contribution to this field (and which cannot easily be differentiated in general theoretical terms from that of Kris) lies in his focus on Freud’s theories on jokes and in his adherence to the concept of ‘controlled regression in the service of the ego’, introduced by so-called ego psychology . This allowed Gombrich not only to highlight a perfect relationship between Freud’s theoretical thinking and his conservative attitude in the field of aesthetics, but also to use psychoanalysis to underline the historical and cultural character of the processes of representation and enjoyment.http://arthistoriography.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/ferrari.pdfarthistory of artpsychoanalysisErnst KrisSigmund Freudcaricature
spellingShingle Stefano Ferrari
Gombrich, Art and Psychoanalysis
Journal of Art Historiography
art
history of art
psychoanalysis
Ernst Kris
Sigmund Freud
caricature
title Gombrich, Art and Psychoanalysis
title_full Gombrich, Art and Psychoanalysis
title_fullStr Gombrich, Art and Psychoanalysis
title_full_unstemmed Gombrich, Art and Psychoanalysis
title_short Gombrich, Art and Psychoanalysis
title_sort gombrich art and psychoanalysis
topic art
history of art
psychoanalysis
Ernst Kris
Sigmund Freud
caricature
url http://arthistoriography.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/ferrari.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT stefanoferrari gombrichartandpsychoanalysis