Rethinking Lessing's Laocoon: Antiquity, Enlightenment, and the 'Limits' of Painting and Poetry (Classical Presences)

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing first published Laokoon, oder uber die Grenzen der Mahlerey und Poesie ( Laocoon, or on the Limits of Painting and Poetry ) in 1766. Over the last 250 years, Lessing's essay has exerted an incalculable influence on western critical thinking. Not only has it directed the history of post-Enlightenment aesthetics, it has also shaped the very practices of 'poetry' and 'painting' in a myriad of different ways. In this anthology of specially commissioned chapters - comprising the first ever edited book on the Laocoon in English - a range of leading critical voices has been brought together to reassess Lessing's essay on its 250th anniversary. Combining perspectives from multiple disciplines (including classics, intellectual history, philosophy, aesthetics, media studies, comparative literature, and art history), the book explores the Laocoon from a plethora of critical angles. Chapters discuss Lessing's interpretation of ancient art and poetry, the cultural backdrops of the eighteenth century, and the validity of the Laocoon 's observations in the fields of aesthetics, semiotics, and philosophy. The volume shows how the Laocoon exploits Greek and Roman models to sketch the proper spatial and temporal 'limits' ( Grenzen ) of what Lessing called 'poetry' and 'painting'; at the same time it demonstrates how Lessing's essay is embedded within Enlightenment theories of art, perception, and historical interpretation, as well as within nascent eighteenth-century ideas about the 'scientific' study of Classical antiquity ( Altertumswissenschaft ). To engage critically with the Laocoon , and to make sense of its legacy over the last 250 years, consequently involves excavating various 'classical presences': by looking back to the Graeco-Roman past, the volume demonstrates, Lessing forged a whole new tradition of modern aesthetics. Cover 1 Rethinking Lessing ́s Laocoon: Antiquity, Enlightenment, and the ‘Limits’ of Painting and Poetry 4 Copyright 5 Acknowledgements 8 Contents 10 List of Illustrations 12 List of Tables 16 List of Contributors 18 Note on Laocoon Editions 22 Foreword: Why Lessing’s Laocoon Still Matters 24 Always Anachronize 24 The Confusion of Criticism 27 1: Introduction: Rethinking Lessing ́s Laocoon from across the Humanities 36 Laocoon and the Exemplarity of Antiquity 40 Lessing and the Enlightenment 58 Aesthetics and Reception 73 Unordentliche Collectanea? 84 2: Laocoon Today: On the Conceptual Infrastructure of Lessing ́s Treatise 94 Critical Judgment 96 Human Action 103 Emotion 110 3: Laocoon among the Gods,: or: On the Theological Limits of Lessing ́s Grenzen 122 Die Fackel der Geschichte: The Inductive Illuminations of Classical Antiquity 126 Geistigkeit and materielle Schranken: Laocoon ́s (In)Visible Theology 141 Conclusion: Lessing ́s Lessening of the Gods 162 4: Lessing ́s Laocoon as Analytical Instrument: The Perspectives of a Classical Archaeologist 168 5: Sympathy, Tragedy, and the Morality of Sentiment in Lessing ́s Laocoon 192 Laocoon, Chapters 1-4 and the Turn to Sophocles 195 Smith ́s Arguments about Sympathy and Lessing ́s Reply 201 Structure, Not Spectacle: The Continuing Authority of Aristotle 207 6: Mendelssohn ́s Critique of Lessing ́s Laocoon 212 Rules and the Rationalist Tradition 212 Laocoon and the Rationalist Tradition 218 Lessing ́s Deductive Argument 221 Mendelssohn ́s Critique 223 Lessing ́s Reply to Mendelssohn ́s Critique in the Seventeenth Chapterof Laocoon 226 7: Naturalizing the Arbitrary: Lessing ́s Laocoon and Enlightenment Semiotics 232 Lessing and Mendelssohn on Natural and Arbitrary Signs 234 Symbolic Cognition and the Classification of Signs 239 Beyond Wolff: Criticisms of Arbitrariness from Leibniz to Mid-Century France 242 The Diderot Connection 248 Conclusion 253 8: Temporalization?: Lessing ́s Laocoon and the Problem of Narration in Eighteenth-Century Historiography 256 Division versus Integration of Space and Time: Lessing ́s Laocoon and the Ars Historica 256 Time and Space, Succession and Coexistence as a Historiographical Problem 259 Is Gatterer ́s Theory of History Based on Laocoon? 261 The Primacy of the Optical: Gatterer ́s Plea for a Universal Historiography beyond the Successiveness of Language 265 The Concept of Action: Gatterer ́s Omission, Lessing ́s Attenuation 270 9: Criticism as Poetry?: Lessing ́s Laocoon and the Limits of Critique 278 Pope-a Metaphysician!: Comparing Poetry and Metaphysics 279 Laocoon: An Attempt to Delimit the Concept of Criticism 282 Narrated Readings: Action and Plot 284 The Winckelmann Reading 285 Fictional Chronology 288 Criticism and Poetry 289 10: Suffering in Art: Laocoon between Lessing and Goethe 292 Goethe ́s Classicism 296 Ideal versus Character in Classical Art 300 Goethe ́s Anti-Naturalist Aesthetic 306 Suffering and Tragedy 310 11: Transparency and Imaginative Engagement: Material as Medium in Lessing ́s Laocoon 314 The Transparency Theory of Art 319 The `Framework of Enlightenment Semiotics ́ 326 Imagination and `Answerability ́ to the Work 332 Conclusion 339 12: Lessing ́s Laocoon and the `As-If ́ of Aesthetic Experience 342 `Viel Feind, viel Ehr ́ 342 Walton ́s `Make-Believe ́ 348 Time and Space in and beyond Laocoon 351 13: Art and Necessity: Rethinking Lessing ́s Critical Practice 362 The Amateur and the Critic 364 Staging the Imagination 368 Approaching Lessing ́s `Limits ́ 372 14: Image and Text in Lessing ́s Laocoon: From Friendly Semiotic Neighbours to Articulatory Twins 380 Historical Prelude 381 Lessing ́s Laocoon 384 Language and Image 387 (i) Defining the Image 387 (ii) Image and Language 389 Sound Articulation 394 Evolutionary Conjectures: Twin Birth 395 Conclusion 398 15: Envoi: The Twofold Liminality of Lessing ́s Laocoon 400 Bibliography 408 Index 440 Gotthold Ephraim Lessing First Published Laokoon, Oder Uber Die Grenzen Der Mahlerey Und Poesie (laocoon, Or On The Limits Of Painting And Poetry) In 1766. Over The Last 250 Years, Lessing's Essay Has Exerted An Incalculable Influence On Western Critical Thinking. Not Only Has It Directed The History Of Post-enlightenment Aesthetics, It Has Also Shaped The Very Practices Of 'poetry' And 'painting' In A Myriad Of Different Ways. In This Anthology Of Specially Commissioned Chapters - Comprising The First Ever Edited Book On The Laocoon In English - A Range Of Leading Critical Voices Has Been Brought Together To Reassess Lessing's Essay On Its 250th Anniversary. Combining Perspectives From Multiple Disciplines (including Classics, Intellectual History, Philosophy, Aesthetics, Media Studies, Comparative Literature, And Art History), The Book Explores The Laocoon From A Plethora Of Critical Angles. Chapters Discuss Lessing's Interpretation Of Ancient Art And Poetry, The Cultural Backdrops Of The Eighteenth Century, And The Validity Of The Laocoon's Observations In The Fields Of Aesthetics, Semiotics, And Philosophy. The Volume Shows How The Laocoon Exploits Greek And Roman Models To Sketch The Proper Spatial And Temporal 'limits' (grenzen) Of What Lessing Called 'poetry' And 'painting'; At The Same Time It Demonstrates How Lessing's Essay Is Embedded Within Enlightenment Theories Of Art, Perception, And Historical Interpretation, As Well As Within Nascent Eighteenth-century Ideas About The 'scientific' Study Of Classical Antiquity (altertumswissenschaft). Machine Generated Contents Note: 1. Introduction: Rethinking Lessing's Laocoon From Across The Humanities / Michael Squire -- 2. Laocoon Today: On The Conceptual Infrastructure Of Lessing's Treatise / David E. Wellbery -- 3. Laocoon Among The Gods, Or: On The Theological Limits Of Lessing's Grenzen / Michael Squire -- 4. Lessing's Laocoon As Analytical Instrument: The Perspectives Of A Classical Archaeologist / Luca Giuliani -- 5. Sympathy, Tragedy, And The Morality Of Sentiment In Lessing's Laocoon / Katherine Harloe -- 6. Mendelssohn's Critique Of Lessing's Laocoon / Frederick Beiser -- 7. Naturalizing The Arbitrary: Lessing's Laocoon And Enlightenment Semiotics / Avi Lifschitz -- 8. Temporalization? Lessing's Laocoon And The Problem Of Narration In Eighteenth-century Historiography / Daniel Fulda -- 9. Criticism As Poetry? Lessing's Laocoon And The Limits Of Critique / Elisabeth Decultot -- 10. Suffering In Art: Laocoon Between Lessing And Goethe / Ritchie Robertson -- 11. Transparency And Imaginative Engagement: Material As Medium In Lessing's Laocoon / Jason Gaiger -- 12. Lessing's Laocoon And The `as-if' Of Aesthetic Experience / Jonas Grethlein -- 13. Art And Necessity: Rethinking Lessing's Critical Practice / Paul A. Kottman -- 14. Image And Text In Lessing's Laocoon: From Friendly Semiotic Neighbours To Articulatory Twins / Jurgen Trabant -- 15. Envoi: The Twofold Liminality Of Lessing's Laocoon / Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht. Edited By Avi Lifschitz And Michael Squire. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Gotthold Ephraim Lessing first published Laokoon, oder über die Grenzen der Mahlerey und Poesie (Laocoon, or on the Limits of Painting and Poetry) in 1766. Over the last 250 years, Lessing's essay has exerted an incalculable influence on western critical thinking. Not only has it directed the history of post-Enlightenment aesthetics, it has also shaped the very practices of'poetry'and'painting'in a myriad of different ways. In this anthology of specially commissioned chapters - comprising the first ever edited book on the Laocoon in English - a range of leading critical voices has been brought together to reassess Lessing's essay on its 250th anniversary. Combining perspectives from multiple disciplines (including classics, intellectual history, philosophy, aesthetics, media studies, comparative literature, and art history), the book explores the Laocoon from a plethora of critical angles. Chapters discuss Lessing's interpretation of ancient art and poetry, the cultural backdrops of the eighteenth century, and the validity of the Laocoon's observations in the fields of aesthetics, semiotics, and philosophy. The volume shows how the Laocoon exploits Greek and Roman models to sketch the proper spatial and temporal'limits'(Grenzen) of what Lessing called'poetry'and'painting'; at the same time it demonstrates how Lessing's essay is embedded within Enlightenment theories of art, perception, and historical interpretation, as well as within nascent eighteenth-century ideas about the'scientific'study of Classical antiquity (Altertumswissenschaft). To engage critically with the Laocoon, and to make sense of its legacy over the last 250 years, consequently involves excavating various'classical presences': by looking back to the Graeco-Roman past, the volume demonstrates, Lessing forged a whole new tradition of modern aesthetics. Gotthold Ephraim Lessing first published Laokoon, oder: Über die Grenzen der Mahlerey und Poesie (Laocoon, or: on the Limits of Painting and Poetry) in 1766. Over the last 250 years, Lessing's essay has exerted an incalculable influence on western critical thinking. Not only has it directed the history of post-Enlightenment aesthetics, it has also shaped the very practices of 'poetry' and 'painting' in a myriad of different ways. In this anthology of specially commissioned chapters - comprising the first ever edited book on the Laocoon in English - a range of leading critical voices has been brought together to reassess Lessing's essay on its 250th anniversary. Combining perspectives from multiple disciplines (including classics, intellectual history, philosophy, aesthetics, media studies, comparative literature, and art history), the book explores the Laocoon from a plethora of critical angles. Chapters discuss Lessing's interpretation of ancient art and poetry, the cultural backdrops of the eighteenth century, and the validity of the Laocoon's observations in the fields of aesthetics, semiotics, and philosophy. The volume shows how the Laocoon exploits Greek and Roman models to sketch the proper spatial and temporal 'limits' (Grenzen) of what Lessing called 'poetry' and 'painting'; at the same time it demonstrates how Lessing's essay is embedded within Enlightenment theories of art, perception, and historical interpretation, as well as within nascent eighteenth-century ideas about the 'scientific' study of Classical antiquity (Altertumswissenschaft). Ever since its publication in 1766, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s treatise __Laocoon, or On the Limits of Painting and Poetry__ has shaped debates about aesthetic experience and the medial distinctions between words and images. __Rethinking Lessing’s Laocoon__ provides a reassessment of this seminal work on its 250th anniversary, examining Lessing’s interpretation of ancient art and poetry, the Enlightenment contexts of the treatise, and its subsequent legacy in the fields of aesthetic, semiotics, and philosophy. Lessing’s essay is focused on an ancient statue and its interpretation, revisiting Greek and Roman texts and images to think about the spatial and temporal ‘limits’ (__Grenzen__) of what Lessing calls ‘poetry’ and ‘painting’. Yet the text is also embedded within Enlightenment theories of art, perception, and historical interpretation—as well as within the nascent eighteenth-century study of classical antiquity (__Altertumswissenschaft__). __Rethinking Lessing’s Laocoon__ is concerned not just with Lessing’s reception of antiquity, but also with the reception of that reception up to the present day. It examines Lessing’s work from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, highlighting the importance of Lessing’s __Laocoon__ not only to the Enlightenment, but more generally also within shifting attitudes to the classical past. Ever since its publication in 1766, Lessing's Laocoon, or on the Limits of Painting and Poetry has exerted an incalculable influence on western thought. This volume offers an interdisciplinary reassessment on its 250th anniversary, exploring how Lessing's debts to the Graeco-Roman past enabled him to forge a new tradition of modern aesthetics.