bMS 649/39 (36): The three Artistic Functions, handwritten n. d.

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The three artistic functions

1. The cognitive function. Discussions between philosophers. "Cognitive" an ambiguous word. Art is cognitive if this word means the discovery of a new le dimension of reality. /[connotation and denotation]\ But it cannot be translated into methodological cognition (pictures, words have a definite content) [Naturalism as the exclusive em- 2. The anticipatory function phasis on this function.

2. The anticipatory function. The Neo-Kantian idealism in the theory of art: The ought to be antici- pated in being. "Beauty": Its devaluation|deteriorisation = shallow| and its right. - even in the most disrupted forms of nature.

3. The expressive function. Expressing objectively, the meaning of the reality described, not the subjectivity of the creator, ab|but| solutely the meaning, expressed in the style.

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Artistic Symbols.

1. A system of symbols, reflective, psychological, representative. (The latter, linguistic, artistic, historical = political, religious)

2. The special character of artistic symbols. The necessary rejection of symbolic art as bad art. The re- maining symbolic character of non-symbolic art.

3. In the realm of visual arts. The materials taken from the perceived world painting beyond them- selves not to something which could be grasped in any other way, but to a level of being which appears in the perceived material. The corresponding opening of the soul for the perception in this level.

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Religious and artistic symbols.

1. The paints of identity (the marks of sym- bols generally) [4a]

2. The points of difference

a] objectively: The dimension of the ultimate  in religion, the dimension of meaning universally in art. - This includes the ultimate, but not directly, b] but only through the medium of the in- dependent religious symbols. The double symbolisation.

b] subjectively. The unconditionally obliging  character and the conditionally elevating|inspiring| character. Determi- nation of the total life. The different character of inspiration.

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c] The two possible attitudes towards religious art, the devotional and the aesthetic. (Concerts, pictures in the Church)

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[Note: The entire page is crossed out.]

III. Some advices

1. If influence, resist the combination of religious subject-matter with naturalistic style in liturgical context.

2. If religious subject matter in perfect a artistic form show the need to distinguish the two attitudes

3. Center on secular art and its depth dimension. This will be mostly analysis of the human situation, to which the Christian symbols give the answer.