Yrjö Hirn (1870–1952)

"THE ART-LIFE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH"

Later edition of the Finnish professor's classic work on the Theology of Art. First translated into English in 1912, Hirn's book consists of a short Introductory and a text divided into two main parts. The first section concerns the Liturgy and the Church: Catholic Art, The Altar, The Relics, The Reliquary, The Mass, The Holy of Holies, The Host, The Monstrance, The Tabernacle. The second half focuses on Mariology: The Dogma of Mary, The Gospel of Mary, Mary's Conception-Saint Anna. The Childhood of Mary, The Annunciation, The Incarnation, The Visitation, The Virginal Birth. The Holy Manger, The Sorrowing Mother, Mary's Death and Assumption, The Symbols of the Virgin, The Sacred Shrine. Supplemented with Notes, an Index of Authorities Quoted, and an Index of Subjects. Originally published in Swedish in 1909.… (more)

The Origins of Art, published in 1900, is a title perhaps inspired by Darwin's The Origin of Species, published forty one years before it. Being less drawn out and comprehensive than the landmark in evolutionary biology, this title compensates in readability.
The question this book seeks to offer is framed in the opening chapter:
"How it is that mankind has come to devote energy and zeal to an activity which may be almost entirely devoid of a utilitarian purpose is indeed the riddle, sociological as well as psychological, which would seem in the first place to claim the attention of the philosopher."
The following twenty chapters then review findings in various academic fields and their relevance to answering the above question. These include: the sensations, emotions, social expression, the enjoyment of pain, art and information, historical art, animal display, art and sexual selection, erotic art, art and work, art and war, and art and magic.
The influence of other major works of the time on this book is interesting, with Darwin's Descent of Man (relevant to the evolution of the aesthetic in animal decoration and the preference for symmetry and proportion), as well as Frazier's Golden Bough, being two notable examples that are referenced. The majority of references though are from primary academic literature.
One important distinction that is made here is between the concepts of beauty and art; though many works of art are beautiful, not all things that are beautiful are art (such as the beauty of the natural world), and not all things that are art are beautiful (just visit the Saatchi Gallery or Tate Modern if you need convincing of this!).
After reviewing the various lines of enquiry, the book concludes that the common drive behind the creation of all art is the wish of the artist (conscious or subconscious) to transmit emotional states (or ideas) to their audience (real or imaginary). Thus art has a sociological purpose to gain the sympathy of the other, for whatever end (to gain the attention or favour of a potential mate, propitiation of deities, to encourage members of the community in joint goals – religious, political, work, or war, transmit the joy of beauties or pleasures experienced, or love felt for an idea, object, or cause).
The underlying idea is strikingly similar to Richard Dawkin's concept of the meme, the cultural equivalent of the gene. If interpreted like this, the conclusion of this book is somewhat ahead of its time.… (more)