Synopses & Reviews
The culture of fin de si cle Vienna continues to fascinate and has been examined at length. There are indeed massive studies of Freud, Mahler, Loos, Klimt, and many other notables from that era. But these studies often ignore the religious dimension of Viennese modernist culture, implying -- if not arguing outright -- that modernism and religion are contrary, even hostile, categories. Taking a different tack, Robert Weldon Whalen in Sacred Spring documents the important thesis that Viennese modernism, far from being secular, was in fact a deeply religious movement. In vivid language Whalen examines this era of being torn apart and rising again, describing those Viennese who were on the cutting edge of modern art and thought. Though the book focuses on avant-garde art, it also connects materials from journalism, popular culture, and contemporary politics in fascinating ways. Students of modernism, the arts, and European cultural history will find that Sacred Spring offers an intriguing, compelling perspective on their subjects. Featuring a beautifully written narrative, the book will also appeal to readers interested in the intersection of culture and faith, in the connection between the arts and the sacred.
Synopsis
The cultural products of fin de sihcle Vienna continue to fascinate and influence generations after those involved are gone. Studies of Freud, Mahler, Loos, Klimt, and others retain their popularity in the academic world. Yet in almost every case, the religious dimension of Viennese modernist culture is ignored, even portrayed as a contrary category. In Sacred Spring, Whalen argues the groundbreaking theory that Viennese modernism, far from being secular, was in fact a deeply religious movement.In vivid language and rich metaphor Whalen examines this era of "being torn apart and rising again," casting a new and penetrating gaze on what we thought we knew about the avant-garde of Vienna who were on the cutting edge of modern thought. Students of modernism, the arts, and European history will find this book an intriguing take on their subjects. People interested in the relationship between faith and God, art and the spiritual life will find it refreshing and informative.
Table of Contents
Fairy tale city -- Necropolis -- Resurrection -- Dreams and visions -- Hieroglyphs -- The feminine divine -- The uncanny -- The artists' hour -- Song of the earth.