Drawing on Freudian theories of sexuality and Kant's conception of the beautiful, French art historian Hubert Damisch considers artists as diverse as Raphael, Picasso, Watteau, and Manet to demonstrate that beauty has always been connected to ideas of sexual difference and pleasure. Damisch's tale begins with the judgment of Paris, in which Paris awards Venus the golden apple and thus forever links beauty with desire. The casting of this decision as a mistake—in which desire is rewarded over wisdom and strength—is then linked to theories of the unconscious and psychological drives. In his quest for an exposition of the beautiful in its relation to visual pleasure, Damisch employs what he terms “analytic iconology,” following the revisions and repetitions of the motif of the judgment through art history, philosophy, aesthetics, and psychoanalysis. This translation brings an important figure of the French art historical tradition to Anglo-American audiences.

The Judgement of Paris - the tale of the shepherd-prince who gave Venus the prize in a beaty competition - was variously treated by classical writers and became a favourite theme for artists. No painter seems to have responded to the ancient story with more intelligence and enthusiasm than Peter Paul Rubens, who devoted at least eight pictures to it. A Judgement of Paris marks every stage in Rubens' career, so that the present survey, which includes familiar and unfamiliar works, allows an insight into his entire artistic development. Since his illustrations of the subject were intended for a variety of contexts, this study also adresses many aspects of Rubens's practice and production, as well as touching on his later reputation. Rubens's response to the theme is also seen in relation to earlier literary and pictorial tradition. Paris's decision had set a problem for moralists - for his choice had led, indirectly, to the onset of the Trojan War. Some commentators held that the young man, who had two other goddesses to choose from, should have preferred Minerva, patron of learning, or at least had opted sensibly for wealth, in the person of Juno. Allegorical readings has some influence on the depiction and interpretation of the theme in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. It is shown how Rubens came to favour the Venetian artistic convention which focussed on the moment prior to Paris's decision, thus effectively rejecting the interpretation of the Judgement as a moral condemnation. Rubens came to see the myth as a universal image of the problem of choice. But also, more specifically, he seems to have associated Paris with the artist as arbiter of beauty - the final theme explored in this illuminating book.

CHILDREN ARE NOT TOYS. Robert knows this now but he didn't when his aunt played with him. He's an intelligent and successful man now . . . but something is missing, and he needs to know what and why. As a boy, he felt like an outsider. It was cold outside, lonely and hard to find someone who understood a boy who said: "When I grow up I want to be a woman." But he found someone. She was his best friend when she died, so it was cold outside again. Robert now has more money than he knows what to do with, and enough time to look for the answer to his prayers. Only, she needed a Dragon Slayer, so it was time to become a new man, whether he liked it or not. Time to go, Robert. You can always wear your shining armour over your tutu.

A fascinating exploration of the early work of the great Flemish master Rubens

This companion text to the author's Learning to Look at Paintings addresses some of the questions most commonly asked about modern art, covering key movements of the modern and postmodern periods in a richly illustrated and engaging volume.

Two allegorical ancient Greek stories about a young hero’s career- defining choice are shown in this book to have later been appropriated to radically differing effects. E.g. a male’s choice between female personifications can morph into a female’s choice between the same, or between various male personifications. Never before have so many instances of this process from art, literature, music, even landscape gardening, been culled. Illustrations, mainly colour, many brought into this context for the first time, are conveniently incorporated into the text, thus mimetically mirroring a central theme of the book, the process of ‘visualising the verbal, verbalising the visual.’

Few artists achieve in their lives the wealth and fame of Sir Peter Paul Rubens, whose beautiful Baroque works were celebrated for their emphasised movement, colour and sensuality. Delphi’s Masters of Art Series presents the world’s first digital e-Art books, allowing digital readers to explore the works of great artists in comprehensive detail. This volume presents Rubens’ complete works in beautiful detail, with concise introductions, hundreds of high quality images and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * The complete paintings of Sir Peter Paul Rubens — over 300 paintings, fully indexed and arranged in chronological and alphabetical order * Includes reproductions of rare works * Features a special ‘Highlights’ section, with concise introductions to the masterpieces, giving valuable contextual information * Enlarged ‘Detail’ images, allowing you to explore Rubens’ works in detail, as featured in traditional art books * Hundreds of images in stunning colour – highly recommended for viewing on tablets and smart phones or as a valuable reference tool on more conventional eReaders * Special chronological and alphabetical contents tables for the complete paintings * Easily locate the paintings you want to view * Includes Rubens’ drawings - spend hours exploring the artist’s works * Features three bonus biographies - discover Rubens’ artistic and personal life * Scholarly ordering of plates into chronological order Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting e-Art books CONTENTS: The Highlights ADAM AND EVE THE JUDGEMENT OF PARIS THE MADONNA DI VALLICELLA, ST. GREGORY THE GREAT AND SAINTS SAMSON AND DELIAH RUBENS AND ISABELLA BRUNT UNDER A HONEYSUCKLE BOWER THE DESCENT FROM THE CROSS LANDSCAPE WITH CARTERS THE RAPE OF THE DAUGHTERS OF LEUCIPPUS A TIGER HUNT PORTRAIT OF SUSANNA FOURMENT HENRY IV RECEIVING THE PORTRAIT OF MARIE DE’ MEDICI THE ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN LUDOVICUS NONNIUS PEACE AND WAR THE GARDEN OF LOVE VENUS AND ADONIS CONSEQUENCES OF WAR SELF-PORTRAIT The Paintings THE COMPLETE PAINTINGS ALPHABETICAL LIST OF PAINTINGS The Drawings LIST OF DRAWINGS The Biographies RUBENS by S. L. Bensusan RUBENS by Jennie Ellis Keysor RUBENS by Sarah K. Bolton Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles