The grotesque in Western art and culture : the image at play / Frances S. Connelly, University of Missouri--Kansas City.

Author/creator Connelly, Frances S., 1953- author.
Format Book
Publication InfoCambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2012.
Descriptionx, 190 pages : illustrations ; 26 cm
Subjects
Grotesque.
Grotesque in art.

Contents 1. Introduction: entering the Spielraum -- 2. Improvisation I: grottesche -- 3. Improvisation II: arabesques -- 4. Subversion: the carnivalesque body -- 5. Trauma: the failure of representation -- 6. Revelation: profound play.
Abstract "This book establishes a fresh and expansive view of the grotesque in Western art and culture, from 1500 to the present day. Following the non-linear evolution of the grotesque, Frances S. Connelly analyzes key works, situating them within their immediate social and cultural contexts, as well as their place in the historical tradition. By taking a long historical view, the book reveals the grotesque to be a complex and continuous tradition comprised of several distinct strands: the ornamental, the carnivalesque and caricatural, the traumatic, and the profound. The book articulates a model for understanding the grotesque as a rupture of cultural boundaries that compromises and contradicts accepted realities. Connelly demonstrates that the grotesque is more than a style, genre, or subject; it is a cultural phenomenon engaging the central concerns of the humanistic debate today. Hybrid, ambivalent, and changeful, the grotesque is a shaping force in the modern era"-- Provided by publisher.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references and index.
LCCN 2011047470
ISBN9781107011250 (hardback)
ISBN1107011256 (hardback)

Availability

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Joyner General Stacks BH301.G74 .C66 2012 ✔ Available Place Hold