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November 24, 2007

the romantic temperament

In our days the word “romantic” is almost a slander. Yet the romantics were the first artists to put before us mood as idea, and, this is also significant, they knew that the mood-idea, is not a mere form-definition but a definition of our passions, of which the outward manifestation is more than one kind. The romantic temperament is distinguishable by the degree it is an emotional power response which colors the intellect-which has too often been interpreted as absent of intellect. The romantic temperament is distinguishable by the degree the mood becomes an idea, reasonable though not reasoned, reflective though not discursive. Art at its deepest is always romantic.


Josef Herman

Posted by amin at November 24, 2007 12:07 AM