History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps HoP 255 - Andreas Speer on Medieval Aesthetics
Jun 5, 2016
Medieval art expert Andreas Speer discusses the contexts of medieval art objects, including their original performative and interactive settings. The podcast explores the changes in art during the Renaissance and the relationship between creation and handmade artwork in the Middle Ages. Speer reflects on medieval aesthetics and its impact on contemporary art, emphasizing the importance of broadening perspectives when studying medieval aesthetics.
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Reconstruct Art From Medieval Experience
- Medieval aesthetics should be reconstructed from how medieval people experienced and reflected on objects in context.
- Andreas Speer calls this a reconstructive hermeneutics focusing on use and perception rather than modern art categories.
Art As Liturgical Performance
- Many medieval artworks belong to liturgical and church contexts, not museums, so their meanings are performative.
- Speer stresses that medieval pieces function within rituals and must be understood in those settings.
Consecration Texts Reveal Art Theory
- Reflections on medieval art often appear inside liturgical texts and consecration rites.
- Speer shows Ebbo of Sens's writings are structured by church consecration rituals, revealing performative interpretation.