Man—Art—Technology: The Problem of Synesthesia in Art by Bulat Galeyev, and: Light-Music in the System of the Arts by Bulat Galeyev (review)

The book's conclusion applies B. Rauschenbach's general theory of perspective to all known perspective painting systems. The book transcends academic boundaries, is highly readable, and is richly illustrated in color. The author more or less rejects the apparent "scientific character" of the book, paying more attention to simplicity and attractiveness . In this, he was perhaps inspired by B. Russell's suggestion that a book on philosophy should appeal first ofall to a broad cross-section of readers. THE GEM OF COPERNICUS: THE WORLD OF SCIENCE IN PAINTING by V. Glazichev. Sovetsky Khudozhnik, Moscow, 1989.416 pp. Reviewed byA. VoloshinoJf, 6 Delovaja Str., Apt. 14, Saratov, 410040, Russia. The problem of humanizing scientific and technical knowledge is reaching global proportions. After dedicating the better part of this age to celebrating the heroes of scientific and technological revolutions, we find ourselves at the end of the twentieth century at the threshold of nuclear and ecological catastrophes . This insight invokes an immediate appeal to the eternal healing ideals ofTruth, Beauty and Kindnessthe need for a revival of this lost trinity has become urgent. The Gem oj Copernicus approaches this problem from a historical perspective. The title of the book refers to a gem depicting Apollo playing the lyre, which was used as a personal seal by the Polish humanist and astronomer Nicholas Copernicus. Copernicus's gem not only symbolizes the would-be unification of science and art, but also reflects the past integrity inherent in the culture of the Renaissance, in which Beauty opened the way to Truth, and Truth was filled with the resuscitating light of Beauty. The first chapter of the book, "Art as the Witness of History," draws a parallel between the history of art and the history of the human spirit, in that the painter serves both the ideals of Beauty and the muse of history, Clio. The construction of ships in Ancient Egypt, the coiffures of Cretian beauties, the design of a fifteenth-century mousetrap, and the observance of children's games in a Dutch village of the sixteenth century -all the details of the surrounding world of each age and all peoples-are depicted in frescos, sculptures, paintings , drawings and prints throughout history. Thus, art is not only the expression of artists' passions, but also the embodiment of the impassioned witness of history. The process of cognition is impossible without the accompaniment ofvisual images to give body to abstract thoughts or visualizations. The creative fantasy of an artist gives visual context to the most courageous creations of thought-from the depictions of the animal-like gods ofAncient Egypt, to scenes of earthly paradise and the underworld , to extensive compositions that vividly portray the creation and end of the world, to the visual expression of modern Star Wars. The second chapter of the book, "Thought and Depiction ," is devoted to the problems of the visualization of abstract thought throughout the history of painting. Historically, the painter has played the part of an "image interpreter" of scientific discoveries and inventions. The creation of maps, plans and schemes, and the reconstruction of lost civilizations all resulted from imaginary and conceptual thinking. The chapter "Concept and Image" reviews the mutual influence of central notions of science and art-concept and imagethroughout history. The chapter "Image of a Scientist in Art" looks at portraits of sages, as portrayed in the pictures of ancient Egyptian scribes, ancient philosophers, medieval teachers or certain specific scientists, not only exploring the priesthood of science, but also revealing a number of concrete details regarding the equipment in these scientists' studies and laboratories. In the last chapter, "Artist as a Researcher ," Glazichev reflects on the important function of art as a cognitive process. In doing so, he calls attention to the function of research by artists themselves. For painters-who throughout the centuries have experimented with the technology of depicting three-dimensional space on the two-dimensional plane of a canvas, while investigating the interaction of line and volume, form and light, and light and colour-are researchers, whether they intend to be or not. The book is richly illustrated with images of cave paintings, Ancient Egyptian reliefs, archaic friezes, medieval engravings and Renaissance paintings, as...