Welcome to Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art,

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art ›› 2017, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (3): 149-155.

• Western Literary Theory and Criticism • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Transcending the "Word-Image" Debate: the Writing Experiment of T. J. Clark's The Sight of Death

Zhuge Yi   

  1. Western art history, art theory and art criticism at Hangzhou Normal University (Hangzhou 310011, China)
  • Online:2017-05-25 Published:2018-01-24
  • About author:Zhuge Yi, Ph.D., is an associate professor of Western art history, art theory and art criticism at Hangzhou Normal University (Hangzhou 310011, China).

Abstract: The "word-image" relationship is an important subject of modern Western aesthetics. It represents the division between the writing of art history and that of art criticism. The bone of contention between the two writing camps is whether the art work can be reducible to words. Art writings vibrate between this dualism, and some try to transcend the "word-image" division in theory. In his The Sight of Death: An Experiment in Art Writing, T. J. Clark, by adopting the diary style without a strong style of language, recorded his daily viewing of Poussin's paintings and his deep contemplations. He stresses the materiality of painting, which the viewers should pay attention to. The writing experiment makes possible a peaceable settlement of the "word-image" disputes, and the resonance between art and language. Basically, such an experiment criticizes the present situation of art writing, which is divorced from social realities, neglecting image quality and visual analysis, and flaunting new theory, and is reduced to the "alienation" caused by capitalist totality and cultural industry.

Key words: T. J. Clark, Nicolas Poussin, "word-image", art writing