Rebecca Bedell's 'Moved to Tears' Defends Sentimentalism in American Art

Rebecca Bedell's book 'Moved to Tears: The Overthrow of the Sentimental in American Art' challenges the art world's aversion to sentimentalism. Rather than defending empathy per se, Bedell argues for the instrumental value of sentiment, citing artists like Henry Ossawa Tanner, who used sentiment to advance abolitionism and anti-Semitism opposition. The book also discusses John Singer Sargent and Mary Cassatt to counter the notion that sentimental artists are mere illustrators. Bedell traces the roots of American sentimentalism to the 19th century and notes its pervasive influence on Western communication, especially in politics, exemplified by the emotional rhetoric surrounding the Capitol Hill assault. The book is published by Princeton University Press.