The Truth in Painting [Paperback]

Jacques Derrida (Author), Geoffrey Bennington (Translator), Ian McLeod (Translator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0226143244 | ISBN-13: 978-0226143248 | Publication Date: July 15, 1987 | Edition: 1

"The four essays in this volume constitute Derrida's most explicit and sustained reflection on the art work as pictorial artifact, a reflection partly by way of philosophical aesthetics (Kant, Heidegger), partly by way of a commentary on art works and art scholarship (Van Gogh, Adami, Titus-Carmel). The illustrations are excellent, and the translators, who clearly see their work as both a rendering and a transformation, add yet another dimension to this richly layered composition. Indispensable to collections emphasizing art criticism and aesthetics."—Alexander Gelley, Library Journal

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, French (translation)

From the Inside Flap

"The four essays in this volume constitute Derrida's most explicit and sustained reflection on the art work as pictorial artifact, a reflection partly by way of philosophical aesthetics (Kant, Heidegger), partly by way of a commentary on art works and art scholarship (Van Gogh, Adami, Titus-Carmel). The illustrations are excellent, and the translators, who clearly see their work as both a rendering and a transformation, add yet another dimension to this richly layered composition. Indispensable to collections emphasizing art criticism and aesthetics."—Alexander Gelley, Library Journal

Product Details

• Paperback: 402 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press; 1 edition (July 15, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226143244
• ISBN-13: 978-0226143248
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #149,741 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jacques Derrida (1930-2004), was born in Algeria, has been called the most famous philosopher of our time. He was the author of a number of books, including Writing and Difference, which came to be seen as defining texts of postmodernist thought.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting book, March 15, 2007

By 

Cezar Tadeu Bartholomeu (Rio de Janeiro) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Truth in Painting (Paperback)

Derrida has a very complicated way of writing : it is not easy avoiding metaphors, the verb to be, the 'I'. Especially when the subject is art, beacause it is exactly the realm of the aesthetic, the subjective, the presence. This, I think, is one of his most difficult texts.
This book sets to investigate the multiple questions that develop in the presence of Cezanne's proposal : Cezanne's aim is to tell the truth in painting.
What is the relation between truth anda beauty, language and image, philosophy and art? Derrida investigates those in two large chapters called 'Parergon' and 'Van Gogh boots'.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Definitely Deconstruction, October 23, 2010

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Denise "Denise" (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Truth in Painting (Paperback)

The introduction was the most difficult chapter. After that, it actually starts to make some sense.

1 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for deconstruction aesthetics, May 12, 2007

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Kirsten Iverson "kirsten" (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Truth in Painting (Paperback)

A reading of Adami's reading of Derrida's Glas. Fantastic book. Recommended to those who want a new view of painting, art, and history in general.