Serge Bismuth's 'L'Enfance de l'art' Examines Courbet's Realism and the Laughter It Provoked
Serge Bismuth's work, 'L'Enfance de l'art ou l'agnomie de l'art moderne,' released by L'Harmattan, delves into Courbet's realism, emphasizing its modern humor and irony. The subtitle, 'Note sur le réalisme de Courbet,' critiques the Marxist perspective that labels Courbet as a social artist and dismisses psychoanalytic readings. Bismuth references the 'farce' identified by Baudelaire and Proudhon's concept of 'joyeuseté picturale,' asserting that realism falters due to a disconnect between intention and realization. He introduces the term 'agnomie' to illustrate realism's struggle to adhere to established viewpoints. This analysis builds on Bismuth's previous thesis at Université Paris I, arguing that realism misrepresents reality. The review was penned by Paul Ardenne.
Key facts
- Serge Bismuth published 'L'Enfance de l'art ou l'agnomie de l'art moderne' with L'Harmattan in the Ouverture philosophique collection.
- The study is subtitled 'Note sur le réalisme de Courbet' and examines the laughter and sarcasm Courbet's realism provoked.
- Bismuth challenges the Marxist canonization of Courbet as a social painter and rejects psychoanalytic readings like Michael Fried's.
- Bismuth argues realism fails due to a gap between intention and execution, as noted by Delacroix.
- Realism cannot match the optical perception of photography.
- Courbet's objectivist ambitions are contaminated by allegorical digression, exemplified by 'The Painter's Studio.'
- Bismuth coins the term 'agnomie' to describe realism's inability to conform to a fixed viewpoint.
- The book builds on Bismuth's 1995 doctoral thesis 'Rire des maîtres de l'art moderne' from Université Paris I.
Entities
Artists
- Serge Bismuth
- Gustave Courbet
- Michael Fried
- Eugène Delacroix
- Charles Baudelaire
- Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
- Jules Champfleury
- Nicolas Poussin
- Antonin Artaud
- Anne Cauquelin
- Laurent Goumarre
- Jean-Yves Jouannais
- Paul Ardenne
Institutions
- L'Harmattan
- Université Paris I
Locations
- Paris
- France
- Ornans
Sources
- artpress —