Spirits Unseen: The Representation of Subtle Bodies in Early Modern European Culture (Intersections) (Intersections)

Spirits – airy, volatile ‘subtle bodies'– occupied a central place in early modern European culture. At the edge of the visible and perceptible, spiritus could signify a broad variety of subtle substances, both natural and divine: the vapours moving inside the body, the elements of air and fire, angels, demons and spectres, the Holy Spirit and the human soul. Spirits functioned as intermediaries between two opposite worlds with continually shifting borders. This book investigates specific meanings and uses of spiritus in a variety of early modern disciplines and fields – physiology, psychology, alchemy, theology, demonology, art theory, music theory, novels and the literature on love – thus revisiting the ambivalent history of a central ancient concept in a period of crisis and change. Contributors include: Wietse de Boer, Sven Dupré, Jennifer Frangos, Axel Christoph Gampp, Christine Göttler, Berthold Hub, Dawn Morgan, Wolfgang Neuber, Bret Rothstein, Rose Marie San Juan, Wilhelm Schmidt-Biggemann, Justin E. H. Smith, Paul J. Smith, Thijs Weststeijn, and Sarah F. Williams. Contents ......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 8 Notes on the Editors of this Volume......Page 10 List of Contributors......Page 12 Preface: Vapours and Veils: The Edge of the Unseen (Christine Göttler)......Page 16 Poltergeist the Prequel: Aspects of Otherworldly Disturbances in Early Modern Times (Wolfgang Neuber)......Page 30 Fire, Smoke and Vapour. Jan Brueghel's 'Poetic Hells': 'Ghespoock' in Early Modern European Art (Christine Göttler)......Page 48 Moveable Feasts of Reason: Description, Intelligence, and the Excitation of Sight (Bret Rothstein)......Page 76 Images in the Air: Optical Games, Magic and Imagination (Sven Dupré)......Page 100 Material Gazes and Flying Images in Marsilio Ficino and Michelangelo (Berthold Hub)......Page 122 Spirits of Love: Castiglione and Neo-Platonic Discourses of Vision (Wietse de Boer)......Page 150 'Painting's Enchanting Poison': Artistic Efficacy and the Transfer of Spirits (Thijs Weststeijn)......Page 170 'Singe the Enchantment for Sleepe': Music and Bewitched Sleep in Early Modern English Drama (Sarah F. Williams)......Page 208 Bilder des Unsichtbaren: Robert Fludds Konzeption des Weltgeistes (Wilhelm Schmidt-Biggemann)......Page 226 Sympathy in Eden. On Paradise with the Fall of Man by Rubens and Brueghel (Paul J. Smith)......Page 240 Dizzying Visions. St. Teresa of Jesus and the Embodied Visual Image (Rose Marie San Juan)......Page 274 Spirit as Intermediary in Post-Cartesian Natural Philosophy (Justin E.H. Smith)......Page 298 The Motions of Laughter: Allegory and Physiology in Walter Charleton's Natural History of the Passions (1674) (Dawn Morgan)......Page 322 Ghosts in the Machine: The Apparition of Mrs. Veal, Rowe's Friendship in Death and the Early Eighteenth-Century Invisible World (Jennifer Frangos)......Page 342 Die Geburt des Kunstwerks durch den Geist der Proportion. Franz Xaver Messerschmidt und seine Charakterköpfe (Axel Christoph Gampp)......Page 360 List of Illustrations......Page 384 Index Nominum......Page 390 Vapours And Veils : The Edge Of The Unseen / Christine Gottler -- Poltergeist The Prequel : Aspects Of Other Worldly Disturbances In Early Modern Times / Wolfgang Neuber -- Fire, Smoke And Vapour, Jan Brueghel's Poetic Hell' : Ghespoock In Early Modern European Art / Christine Gottler -- Moveable Feasts Of Reason : Description, Intelligence, And The Excitation Of Sight / Bret Rothstein -- Images In The Air : Optical Games, Magic, And Imagination / Sven Dupre -- Material Gazes And Flying Images In Marsilio Ficino And Michelangelo / Berthold Hub -- Spirits Of Love: Castiglione And Neo-platonic Discourses Of Vision / Wietse De Boer -- Painting's Enchanting Poison : Artistic Eficacy And The Transfer Of Spirits / Thijs Weststeijn -- Singe The Enchantment For Sleepe : Music And Bewitched Sleep In Early Modern English Drama / Sarah F. Williams -- Bilder Des Unsichtbaren : Robert Fludd's Konzeption Des Weltgeistes / Wilhelm Schmidt-biggemann -- Sympathy In Eden : On Paradise With The Fall Of Man By Rubens And Brueghel / Paul J. Smith -- Dizzying Visions : St. Teresa Of Jesus And The Embodied Visual Image / Rose Marie San Juan -- Spirit As Intermediary In Post-cartesian Natural Philosophy / Justin E.h. Smith -- The Motions Of Laughter : Allegory And Physiology In Walter Charleton's Natural History Of The Passions (1674) / Dawn Morgan -- Ghosts In The Machine : The Apparition Of Mrs. Veal, Rowe's Friendship In Death, And The Early Eighteenth-century Invisible World / Jennifer Frangos -- Die Geburt Des Kunstwerks Durch Den Geist Der Proportion : Franz Xavier Messerschmidt Und Seine Charakterkopfe / Axel Christoph Gampp. Edited By Christine Gottler And Wolfgang Neuber. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Spirits airy, volatile subtle bodies' occupied a central place in early modern European culture. At the edge of the visible and perceptible, "spiritus" could signify a broad variety of subtle substances, both natural and divine: the vapours moving inside the body, the elements of air and fire, angels, demons and spectres, the Holy Spirit and the human soul. Spirits functioned as intermediaries between two opposite worlds with continually shifting borders. This book investigates specific meanings and uses of "spiritus" in a variety of early modern disciplines and fields physiology, psychology, alchemy, theology, demonology, art theory, music theory, novels and the literature on love thus revisiting the ambivalent history of a central ancient concept in a period of crisis and change. Contributors include: Wietse de Boer, Sven Dupre, Jennifer Frangos, Axel Christoph Gampp, Christine Gottler, Berthold Hub, Dawn Morgan, Wolfgang Neuber, Bret Rothstein, Rose Marie San Juan, Wilhelm Schmidt-Biggemann, Justin E. H. Smith, Paul J. Smith, Thijs Weststeijn, and Sarah F. Williams." Topics include: 'Poltergeist the Prequel', 'Fire, Smoke and Vapour', 'Movable Feasts of Reason', 'Images in the Air', 'Material Gazes and Flying Images in Marsilio Ficino and Michelangelo', 'Spirits of Love', 'Sympathy in Eden', 'Dizzying Visions', 'The Motions of Laughter' and much more Investigating the meanings and uses of spiritus in a variety of early modern disciplines and fields - natural philosophy, theology, music, literature and the visual arts - this book revisits the ambivalent history of a central ancient concept in a period of crisis and change