Titus Burckhardt
Born
in Florence, Italy
October 24, 1908
Died
January 15, 1984
Influences
Alchemy: Science of the Cosmos, Science of the Soul
by
39 editions
—
published
1960
—
|
|
|
Introduction to Sufi Doctrine
32 editions
—
published
1955
—
|
|
|
Art of Islam: Language and Meaning
16 editions
—
published
1976
—
|
|
|
Mystical Astrology According to Ibn 'Arabi
by
9 editions
—
published
1950
—
|
|
|
Sacred Art in East and West, 1st Edition (Wisdom Foundation Series)
by
21 editions
—
published
1958
—
|
|
|
Fez: City of Islam
by
10 editions
—
published
1992
—
|
|
|
Essential Titus Burckhardt: Reflections on Sacred Art, Faiths, and Civilizations (Perennial Philosophy Series)
9 editions
—
published
2003
—
|
|
|
Mirror of the Intellect: Essays on the Traditional Science and Sacred Art
by
14 editions
—
published
1987
—
|
|
|
Chartres and the Birth of the Cathedral
14 editions
—
published
1962
—
|
|
|
Moorish Culture in Spain
by
14 editions
—
published
1970
—
|
|
“Beauty always represents an inward and inexhaustible equilibrium of forces; and this overwhelms our soul, since it can neither be calculated nor mechanically produced. A sense of beauty can therefore permit us the direct experience of relationships before we can perceive them, in a differentiated manner, with our discursive reason; in this, incidentally, there is a defence for our own physical and psychic well-being, something that we cannot neglect with impunity.”
― Mirror of the Intellect: Essays on the Traditional Science and Sacred Art
― Mirror of the Intellect: Essays on the Traditional Science and Sacred Art
“A work of art, if it is to be of spiritual import, need not be a "work of genius"; the authenticity of sacred art is guaranteed by its prototypes. A certain monotony is in any case inseparable from traditional methods; amid all the gaiety and pageantry that are the privilege of art, this monotony safeguards spiritual poverty - the non-attachment of the "poor in spirit" (Matt. 5:3) - and prevents individual genius from foundering in some sorts of hybrid monomania; genius is as it were absorbed by the collective style, with its norm derived from the universal. It is by the qualitative interpretations, to whatever degree, of the sacred models that the genius of the artist shows itself in a particular art; that is to say: instead of squandering itself in "breadth", it is refined and developed in "depth". One need only to think of an art such that of the ancient Egypt to see clearly how severity of style can itself lead to extreme perfection.
This allows us to understand how, at the time of the Renaissance, artistic geniuses suddenly sprang up almost everywhere, and with an overflowing vitality. The phenomenon is analogous to what happens in the soul of one who abandons a spiritual discipline. Psychic tendencies that have been kept in the background suddenly come to the fore, accompanied by a glittering riot of new sensations with the compulsive attaction of as yet unexhausted possibilities; but they lose their fascination as soon as the initial pressure of the soul is relaxed. Nevertheless, the emancipation of the "ego" being thenceforth the dominant motive, individualistic expansivity will continue to assert itself: it will conquer new planes, relatively lower than the first, the difference in psychic"levels" acting as the source of potential energy. This is the whole secret of the Promethean urge of the Renaissance.”
― The Foundations of Christian Art
This allows us to understand how, at the time of the Renaissance, artistic geniuses suddenly sprang up almost everywhere, and with an overflowing vitality. The phenomenon is analogous to what happens in the soul of one who abandons a spiritual discipline. Psychic tendencies that have been kept in the background suddenly come to the fore, accompanied by a glittering riot of new sensations with the compulsive attaction of as yet unexhausted possibilities; but they lose their fascination as soon as the initial pressure of the soul is relaxed. Nevertheless, the emancipation of the "ego" being thenceforth the dominant motive, individualistic expansivity will continue to assert itself: it will conquer new planes, relatively lower than the first, the difference in psychic"levels" acting as the source of potential energy. This is the whole secret of the Promethean urge of the Renaissance.”
― The Foundations of Christian Art
“St. Hierotheos, the great teacher quoted by Dionysius in his book on Divine Names: “As form giving form to all that is formless, in so far as It is the principle of form, the Divine Nature of the Christ is none the less formless in all that has form, since It transcends all form....”
―
―
Topics Mentioning This Author
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Non Fiction Book ...: Cosmic's Buddy Read Planning for 2023 | 7 | 46 | Apr 24, 2023 09:54PM |