Psychology, Art, and Antifascism : Ernst Kris, E. H. Gombrich, and the Politics of Caricature

A vivid portrait of two remarkable twentieth-century thinkers and their landmark collaboration on the use and abuse of caricature and propaganda in the modern world In 1934, Viennese art historian and psychoanalyst Ernst Kris invited his mentee E. H. Gombrich to collaborate on a project that had implications for psychology and neuroscience, and foreshadowed their contributions to the Allied war effort. Their subject: caricature and its use and abuse in propaganda. Their collaboration was a seminal early effort to integrate science, the humanities, and political awareness. In this fascinating biographical and intellectual study, Louis Rose explores the content of Kris and Gombrich’s project and its legacy. Cover page 1 Halftitle page 2 Title page 4 Copyright page 5 Dedication 6 CONTENTS 8 ILLUSTRATIONS 10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 25 Epigraph 27 CHAPTER 1 THE UNFINISHED PROJECT 28 The Manuscript 28 A Model of Integration 31 Daumier and the Choice of Caricature 35 Scholarship and Exile 38 A Humanist Experiment 41 CHAPTER 2 TOWARD A PSYCHOLOGY OF ART 1919–32 43 Kris and the Vocation of Art History 43 Introspection and a New Realism 46 Entering the Museum 48 Borderline Art 51 Psychoanalysis and Art History 54 The Republican Interregnum 58 CHAPTER 3 THE VIENNA–LONDON CONNECTION 1932–36 64 Gombrich and the Question of Art History 64 Confronting Doubt 67 The Crisis of the Republic 70 Shared Scholarship 72 Warburg, Freud, and the Psychology of Caricature 76 Saxl, Read, and the Art of Caricature 82 CHAPTER 4 DAUMIER IN VIENNA 1936 90 The Discreet Charm of the Austrian Bourgeoisie 90 Looking Toward France 93 Daumier and Austrian Politics 100 A Republican Art Exhibition 107 The Disasters of War 113 CHAPTER 5 THE CARICATURE BOOK 1936–38 117 Completing the Manuscript in Vienna 117 The Classical Mask 120 The Switch 124 The Pear 129 The Moderns 130 The Fate of Political Art 142 CHAPTER 6 FROM VIENNA TO LONDON AND NEW YORK 1938–41 151 Leaving the Museum 151 The End of the Republic 156 Seeking a Public in London 157 The BBC and the Journey to New York 165 Marshall, Lynd, and Content Analysis 171 Psychology and Propaganda 180 CHAPTER 7 WAR WORK 1941–45 184 Scholarship and War 184 From Reading Room to Listening Post 190 Theories of Propaganda 198 The Dilemma of Antifascism 205 An Integrated Front 208 Combative Pessimism 222 CHAPTER 8 BETWEEN PAST AND FUTURE 1945–65 232 Fragmented Possibilities 232 The Manuscript Revisited 237 Caricature and Conceptual Vision 243 Political Dissent and Experimental Conditions 250 NOTES 259 BIBLIOGRAPHY 297 INDEX 313 In 1934, Viennese Art Historian And Psychoanalyst Ernst Kris Invited His Mentee E.h. Gombrich To Collaborate On A Project That Had Implications For Psychology And Neuroscience, And Foreshadowed Their Contributions To The Allied War Effort. Their Subject: Caricature And Its Use And Abuse In Propaganda. Their Collaboration Was A Seminal Early Effort To Integrate Science, The Humanities, And Political Awareness. In This Fascinating Biographical And Intellectual Study, Louis Rose Explores The Content Of Kris And Gombrich's Project And Its Legacy-- The Unfinished Project -- Toward A Psychology Of Art, 1919-32 -- The Vienna-london Connection, 1932-36 -- Daumier In Vienna, 1936 -- The Caricature Book, 1936-38 -- From Vienna To London And New York, 1938-41 -- War Work, 1941-45 -- Between Past And Future, 1945-65. Louis Rose. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 270-285) And Index. "In 1934, Viennese art historian and psychoanalyst Ernst Kris invited his mentee E. H. Gombrich to collaborate on a project that had implications for psychology and neuroscience, and foreshadowed their contributions to the Allied war effort. Their subject: caricature and its use and abuse in propaganda. Their collaboration was a seminal early effort to integrate science, the humanities, and political awareness. In this fascinating biographical and intellectual study, Louis Rose explores the content of Kris and Gombrich's project and its legacy"-- Provided by publisher This work presents a vivid portrait of two remarkable twentieth-century thinkers and their landmark collaboration on the use and abuse of caricature and propaganda in the modern world.