The Concept of Art by Haig Khatchadourian, and: Criticism and Personal Taste by R. Peacock (review)

74 Books to their resolution. Gentile does raise most of the important issues with which aestheticians continue to wrestle, as well as quite a few that they would barely recognize as of aesthetical or philosophical concern. In the appreciative introduction, Gullace makes it repetitiously clear how near the younger Croce and Gentile were to each other philosophically and how far they later diverged in their views. Their personal histories and their influence on each other and on aesthetics ill Italy make the introduction valuable. But the main contribution Gullace makes is the lucid interpretation of Gentile's philosophy in general and his aesthetics in particular, especially as these both impinge on the philosophy and aesthetics of Croce. One should note that Gentile's writing in this book is motivated by a negative reaction to Croce's views. A characteristic of Gentile's thought that even a skilled translator cannot mitigate is his towering dogmatism . The style of philosophizing by idealists of the European tradition is unappealing to late 20th century minds. Autocracy of language and argument are no longer in vogue, even when disseminated artfully. The criticism by Beryl Lake ('A Study of the Irrefutability of Two Aesthetic Theories', in Aesthetics and Language, William Elton, ed. (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1959) that Croce's main thesis is tautological applies precisely to Gentile's as well, who says: 'We shall never have a work of art which is not also a work ofthought. A work ofthought is, therefore, also a work of art for the very same reasons that a work of art is a work of thought' (p. 106). It appears that idealisms gravitate to the impervious (and true) tautology quite naturally. Portions of Gentile's book are of current interest to aestheticians, for example, Dreaming and Waking (pp. 86-96), Feeling (pp. 132-154) and Love and Speech (pp. 155-179). It must also be remarked that Gullace shows dramatically how politically active both Croce and Gentile were because of their philosophical convictions. Gentile was murdered while on a political mission of mercy at Florence, Italy on 15 April 1944. Christian and Oriental Philosophy of Art. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy. Dover Publications, New York, 1972. 146 pp. $1.50. Eastern Cultures: A Unesco Courier Anthology. Anila Graham, ed. Longman, London, 1971. 135 pp., illus. £3.25. Reviewed by: Vic Gray* The Dover edition takes its title from the second essay of the book, the first edition published by Luzac took it from the first essay 'Why Exhibit Works ofArt?' and one might wonder if a third edition will take as its title 'Is art Superstition?', the fourth 'What is the use of Art, Anyway?' and so on until the nine mainly interrogatory essay titles are used up. The format and style of the Dover presentation I found both pleasing, convenient and companionable. Coomaraswamy's discussion is rich and varied, roaming over the nature ofaesthetics, the importance of symbolism, the necessity of intellectual pursuits for the artist, especially philosophy. Traditional art in its stability and enrichment of art culture is examined and any nonsense about the similarity between primitive and abstract art is summarily dismissed as the former was concomitant with the whole of life while the latter is mere mannerism. The first two essays provide the * 137 Westbury Road, Westbury on Trym, Bristol B59 3 AN, England. substantive ideas of the book, the rest being delightful and provocative digressions and elaborations of them. The late Coomaraswamy, who was the curator of Indian art at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts had the mind of a sage and of a savant. His writing has the bite of the practised disputant and provokes the reader. For example, he says that 'all education implies revaluation '. But he does not say education at what level or in what disciplines. His aphorisms are eminently quotable, for example: 'Works of art are about God.' 'No man has any right to social status who is not an artist.' ' ... works of art consistent with the Philosophia Perennis cannot be divided into the categories of the utilitarian and the spiritual, but pertain to both worlds, functional and significant, physical and metaphysical.' His concept of art is Platonic, that is, man...