Roger Fry's Difficult and Uncertain Science: The Interpretation of Aesthetic Perception

293 Pages·2013·15.34 MB·English

by  Adrianne Rubin

Cultural Interactions:
Studies in the Relationship between the Arts
This new study traces the development and evolution of the writings of
A
Roger Fry (1866–1934), a highly influential art critic who introduced d
r
modern French painting to Britain in the early twentieth century. Through ia
n
close analysis of his writings, the author examines the role that emerging n
e
psychological theories played in the formulation and expression of Fry’s
R
aesthetic theories. She also discusses aspects of physiological psychology, u
b
Gestalt theory, psychoanalysis and adaptive psychology, arguing that i
n

detailed analyses of aesthetic perception comprise the core of Fry’s writings.
Though he has rarely been credited with this goal, this volume shows that
TR
Fry sought to make art accessible to a wide audience and that highlighting ho
eg
the universal aspects of aesthetic perception was a means to this end. e
I
nr

tF
The book offers a chronological study of select essays and lectures, both er
ry
published and unpublished, written by Roger Fry between the 1890s and pr’s
his death in 1934. Where relevant his writings are juxtaposed with those et ‘D
a
of other art critics and theorists to identify factors that shaped his thinking tif
ifi
and his use of terminology and to clarify the critical context in which he o
nc
u
was working. Since Fry’s work as a visual artist ran alongside his critical
ol
thinking, some attention is given to his paintings as a method of illustrating ft
a
A
n
his practical experimentation with aesthetic principles, particularly e
d
s
formalist concepts. t U
h
en
Roger Fry’s
tc
ice
r
Pt
Adrianne Rubin holds a doctorate in the History of Art from the University ea ‘Difficult and Uncertain Science’
of Oxford and is Assistant Curator at the Museum of Biblical Art, New York. rin
c
e S
She has previously worked as Assistant Registrar at the Hofstra University pc
Museum and as Assistant to the Curator of Pictures at Worcester College, tiie The Interpretation of Aesthetic Perception
on
Oxford. She has also taught art history at several universities. n
c
e
Adrianne Rubin
’
ISBN 978-3-0343-0791-8
Peter Lang
www.peterlang.com
Cultural Interactions:
Studies in the Relationship between the Arts
This new study traces the development and evolution of the writings of
A
Roger Fry (1866–1934), a highly influential art critic who introduced d
r
modern French painting to Britain in the early twentieth century. Through ia
n
close analysis of his writings, the author examines the role that emerging n
e
psychological theories played in the formulation and expression of Fry’s
R
aesthetic theories. She also discusses aspects of physiological psychology, u
b
Gestalt theory, psychoanalysis and adaptive psychology, arguing that i
n

detailed analyses of aesthetic perception comprise the core of Fry’s writings.
Though he has rarely been credited with this goal, this volume shows that
TR
Fry sought to make art accessible to a wide audience and that highlighting ho
eg
the universal aspects of aesthetic perception was a means to this end. e
I
nr

tF
The book offers a chronological study of select essays and lectures, both er
ry
published and unpublished, written by Roger Fry between the 1890s and pr’s
his death in 1934. Where relevant his writings are juxtaposed with those et ‘D
a
of other art critics and theorists to identify factors that shaped his thinking tif
ifi
and his use of terminology and to clarify the critical context in which he o
nc
u
was working. Since Fry’s work as a visual artist ran alongside his critical
ol
thinking, some attention is given to his paintings as a method of illustrating ft
a
A
n
his practical experimentation with aesthetic principles, particularly e
d
s
formalist concepts. t U
h
en
Roger Fry’s
tc
ice
r
Pt
Adrianne Rubin holds a doctorate in the History of Art from the University ea ‘Difficult and Uncertain Science’
of Oxford and is Assistant Curator at the Museum of Biblical Art, New York. rin
c
e S
She has previously worked as Assistant Registrar at the Hofstra University pc
Museum and as Assistant to the Curator of Pictures at Worcester College, tiie The Interpretation of Aesthetic Perception
on
Oxford. She has also taught art history at several universities. n
c
e
Adrianne Rubin
’
Peter Lang
www.peterlang.com
Roger Fry’s
‘Difficult and Uncertain Science’
C I
ultural nteraCtIons
Studies in the Relationship between the Arts
Edited by J.B. Bullen
Volume 28
PETER LANG
Oxford • Bern • Berlin • Bruxelles • Frankfurt am Main • New York • Wien
Adrianne Rubin
Roger Fry’s
‘Difficult and Uncertain Science’
The Interpretation of Aesthetic Perception
PETER LANG
Oxford • Bern • Berlin • Bruxelles • Frankfurt am Main • New York • Wien
Bibliographic information published by Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek.
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche
Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data is available on the
Internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Rubin, Adrianne, 1969-
Roger Fry’s ‘difficult and uncertain science’ : the interpretation of
aesthetic perception / Adrianne Rubin.
pages cm. -- (Cultural interactions. Studies in the relationship
between the arts ; 28)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-3-0343-0791-8 (alk. paper)
1. Fry, Roger, 1866-1934. 2. Aesthetics. I. Title.
N7483.F79R83 2012
701’.17092--dc23
2012039491
ISSN 1662-0364
ISBN 978-3-0343-0791-8 (print)
ISBN 978-3-0353-0430-5 (eBook)
Cover image: Roger Fry, Self-Portrait, 1928, Oil on canvas, 45.7 x 37.1 cm,
© The Samuel Courtauld Trust, The Courtauld Gallery, London.
Purchased with the assistance of the Art Fund and the Victoria & Albert
Museum Purchase Grant Fund, 1994.
© Peter Lang AG, International Academic Publishers, Bern 2013
Hochfeldstrasse 32, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
[email protected], www.peterlang.com, www.peterlang.net
All rights reserved.
All parts of this publication are protected by copyright.
Any utilisation outside the strict limits of the copyright law, without the
permission of the publisher, is forbidden and liable to prosecution.
This applies in particular to reproductions, translations, microfilming, and
storage and processing in electronic retrieval systems.
Printed in Germany
For W. H. R., N. J. A. and Z. G. A.

Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Acknowledgements xi
Introduction 1
Chapter I
The Centrality of Sensation: 1891–1905 9
Chapter II
Emotion Articulated through Form: 1906–1909 41
Chapter III
The Perception of Significant Form: 1910–1915 83
Chapter IV
Unity and Necessity: 1917–1934 139
Chapter V
Fry’s Legacy 197
Conclusion 235
Bibliography 239
Index 257