Jules Michelet: Writing Art and History in Nineteenth-Century France

Jules Michelet, a French historian, believed that art was essential to understanding history and used it to illustrate his theories. This book explores how his art writing influenced his work and the development of modern historical practice.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 02 November 2020
Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press

Jules Michelet, a prominent historian from France and a pioneer in modern historical practices, possessed a profound fascination with and unwavering dedication to interpreting the visual arts. In his remarkable work, Michèle Hannoosh delves into the significant role that art writing played in Michelets intellectual journey, showcasing how it profoundly shaped his theory of history and his perspective on the practice of the historian.

Michelet's vision of historiography was deeply rooted in the visual realm. He meticulously documented his private thoughts, delivered public lectures, and authored printed materials that were filled with extensive discussions of artworks. For Michelet, these artistic creations were not mere ornaments but rather vessels that encapsulated the essence of specific historical moments. He believed that paintings, sculptures, architecture, and engravings possessed the power to reveal histories that often remained untold, to convey the underlying ideas that drove events, and to articulate concepts that would only manifest later.

This groundbreaking reexamination of Michelet's historical approach unveils the profound influence that writing about art had on his methodology. It demonstrates how Michelet's engagement with art provided a blueprint for the historian's relationship with the past and, consequently, shaped the development of a new genre of historiography. This new approach recognizes and actively incorporates the historian's own involvement in the history he or she narrates, fostering a more nuanced and empathetic understanding of the past.

Through meticulous analysis and thoughtful exploration, Michèle Hannoosh sheds light on the intricate connections between Michelet's artistic pursuits and his historical writings. She reveals how Michelet's deep appreciation for the visual arts informed his historical interpretations, allowing him to perceive the past through a multi-dimensional lens. Hannoosh's work not only sheds new light on Michelet's intellectual legacy but also contributes to our understanding of the role of art in shaping historical narratives and the methodologies employed by historians in their pursuit of knowledge.

Weight: 348g
Dimension: 157 x 229 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780271083575