Ideals & Idols：Essays On Values in History and in Art

AnimportantcollectionofessayscontainingsomeofProfessorGombrich'smostfamouscontributionstothediscussionofvaluesandtheirplaceinthehumanitiesRangesinsubjectfromthephilosophyofHegeltowartimepropagandabroadcasts,thefutureofmuseumsandtheroleofreasonandfeelinginthestudyofartIncludesoneofGombrich'smostinfluentialessays,'InSearchofCulturalHistory'Inthisvolume,Gombrichconsistentlyarguesfortheidealsoftoleranceandpluralismandagainsttheidolsofdeterminismandrelativismthatwouldthreatenallculture.ErnstGombrichwasoneofthegreatestandleastconventionalarthistoriansofhisage,achievingfameanddistinctioninthreeseparatespheres:asascholar,asapopularizerofart,andasapioneeroftheapplicationofthepsychologyofperceptiontothestudyofart.Hisbest-knownbook,TheStoryofArt-firstpublished50yearsagoandnowinitssixteenthedition-isoneofthemostinfluentialbookseverwrittenaboutart.HisbooksfurtherincludeTheSenseofOrder(1979)andThePreferenceforthePrimitive(2002),aswellasatotalof11volumesofcollectedessaysandreviews.GombrichwasborninViennain1909anddiedinLondoninNovember2001.HecametoLondonin1936toworkattheWarburgInstitute,whereheeventuallybecameDirectorfrom1959untilhisretirementin1976.Hewonnumerousinternationalhonours,includingaknighthood,theOrderofMeritandtheGoethe,HegelandErasmusprizes.Giftedwithapowerfulmindandprodigiousmemory,hewasalsoanoutstandingcommunicator,withaclearandforcefulprosestyle.Hisworksaremodelsofgoodart-historicalwriting,andreflecthishumanismandhisdeepandabidingconcernwiththestandardsandvaluesofourculturalheritage.