Art and the Human Adventure FAUX TITRE 341 Etudes de langue et littérature françaises publiées sous la direction de Keith Busby, †M.J. Freeman, Sjef Houppermans et Paul Pelckmans Art and the Human Adventure André Malraux’s Theory of Art Derek Allan AMSTERDAM - NEW YORK, NY 2009 Cover illustration: André Malraux with images from The Imaginary Museum of World Sculpture, 1953. Photo M.Jarnoux © M.Jarnoux/Parismatch/Scoop Cover design: Pier Post. The paper on which this book is printed meets the requirements of ‘ISO 9706: 1994, Information and documentation - Paper for documents - Requirements for permanence’. Le papier sur lequel le présent ouvrage est imprimé remplit les prescriptions de ‘ISO 9706: 1994, Information et documentation - Papier pour documents - Prescriptions pour la permanence’. ISBN: 978-90-420-2749-7 E-Book ISBN: 978-90-420-2750-3 © Editions Rodopi B.V., Amsterdam - New York, NY 2009 Printed in The Netherlands “A form of humanism is still possible but we need to be quite clear that it is a tragic humanism.” André Malraux, speech for UNESCO, 1946. Contents List of illustrations 9 Acknowledgements 11 English translations of titles of Malraux’s works 13 Introduction 15 Chapter 1 – The Years before 1934 31 Chapter 2 – The Human Adventure 47 Chapter 3 – Art: A Rival World 79 Chapter 4 – Art and Creation 95 Chapter 5 – The Emergence and Transformation of “Art” 131 Chapter 6 – Art and Time 193 Chapter 7 – The First Universal World of Art 231 Chapter 8 – The Anti-Arts 275 Chapter 9 – Art, History, and the Human Adventure 287 Conclusion 297 Bibliography 313 Index 331 List of Illustrations Fig. 1. Georges de La Tour, Saints Sebastian and Irene.................................92 Fig. 2. Rembrandt, The Prophet Balaam and the Ass (1626)........................100 Fig. 3. Pieter Lastman, Balaam and the Ass (1622)......................................101 Fig. 4. Bull, Caves of Lascaux, France (c.17,000 B.C.)................................118 Fig. 5. Grünewald, Christ on the Cross, Isenheim Altarpiece.......................120 Fig. 6. Apsidal vault. Madonna and Child with Twelve Apostles, Torcello Cathedral........................................................................................................139 Fig. 7. Giotto, Marriage of the Virgin, Scrovegni Chapel, Padua.................143 Fig. 8. Botticelli, Primavera, The Three Graces (detail)...............................145 Fig. 9. Watteau, Embarkation for Cythera (1717)........................................147 Fig. 10. Picasso, Woman with pram (detail).................................................149 Fig. 11. Oceanian art, Mask, Ambrym Is., Vanuatu archipelago..................150 Fig. 12. Titian, The Venus of Urbino.............................................................155 Fig. 13. Manet, Olympia................................................................................155 Fig. 14. Alexandre Cabanel, The Birth of Venus (1863)...............................170 Fig. 15. Goya, “This is worse”, The Disasters of War (1810-14).................170 Fig. 16. Section of the Odyssey frieze (Rome, c. 50 B.C.)............................178 Fig. 17. Filippo Lippi, Madonna and Child with Angels (c.1455) (detail)....179 Fig. 18. Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa (c.1503-6) (detail)..........................179 Fig. 19. Gudea, Prince of Lagash (c. 2150 B.C.)..........................................228 Fig. 20. Buddha, Cambodia (7th/8th century).................................................234 Fig. 21. Biblical figure, Chartres...................................................................234 Fig. 22. Vermeer, The Lacemaker.................................................................235 Fig. 23. Warka (Uruk) Head..........................................................................242 Fig. 24. Titian, The Man with the Glove........................................................248