Freud valued {{Top}}arts|art as one of humanity's great cultural institutions,{{Bottom}}
====Sigmund Freud====[[Freud]] valued [[art]] as one of [[human]]ity's great [[culture|cultural]] [[civilization|institutions]], and dedicated many papers to discussing both the [[process ]] of [[art|artistic creation ]] in general and certain [[art|works of art]] in[[particular]].
general and certain works of art in particular. =====Artistic Creation==========Sublimation=====He explained [[art|artistic creation ]] byreference to the [[concept]] of [[sublimation]], a process in which [[sexual]] [[libido]] is redirected towards [[sublimation|non-sexual aims]].
reference =====Works of Art==========Literature=====[[Freud]] also dedicated a [[number]] of papers to the concept analysing particular [[art|works of art]], especially works of SUBLIMATION[[literature]], which he argued could be useful to psychoanalysis in two main ways. # Firstly, a process these works often express in [[poetry|poetic form]] [[truth]]s [[about]] the [[psyche]], which implies that [[art|creative writers]] can intuit directly the [[truth]]s which sexual libido is[[psychoanalysts]] only discover later by more laborious means. # Secondly, [[Freud]] also argued that a close [[psychoanalytic]] [[interpretation|reading]] of [[art|works of literature]] could uncover elements of the author's [[psyche]]. =====Michelangelo's ''Moses''=====While most of [[Freud]]'s [[Works of Sigmund Freud|papers]] on particular [[art|works of art]] concern [[art|works of literature]], he did not entirely neglect [[other]] [[art|art forms]]; for example he devoted one paper to discussing [[Michelangelo]]'s statue of [[Moses]].<ref>{{F}} "[[The Moses of Michelangelo]]," 1914b. [[SE]] XIII, 211.</ref>
redirected towards non-sexual aims. Freud ====Jacques Lacan=========Works of Art=====[[Lacan]]'s [[Works of Jacques Lacan|works]] also dedicated a number abound in discussions of papersparticular [[art|works of art]].
=====Literature=====Like [[Freud]], [[Lacan]] devotes most of his attention to analysing particular [[art|works of literature]] of all genres: * [[art|prose]] (e.g. the [[discussion]] of The [[Purloined Letter]] by [[Edgar Allan Poe]]<ref>{{S2}} Ch. 16; {{1955}}</ref>), especially works * [[art|drama]] (e.g. the discussions of [[Shakespeare]]'s [[Hamlet]] <ref>{{1958-9}}</ref>, and of literature[[Sophocles]]' [[Antigone]] <ref>{{S7}}, which heChs. 19-21</ref>) and * [[art|poetry]] (e.g. the discussion of [[Booz endormi]] by Victor [[Hugo]]<ref>{{S3}} p. 218-25; {{S4}} p. 377-8; {{E}} p. 156-8; {{S8}} p. 158-9</ref>).
argued could be useful =====Visual Arts=====However, [[Lacan]] also discusses the [[art|visual arts]], devoting several lectures in his [[Seminar XI|1964]] [[seminar]] to psychoanalysis in two main waysdiscussing [[art|painting]], particularly [[art|anamorphotic art]].<ref>{{S11}} Chs. Firstly7-9, thesewhere he discusses [[Holbein]]'s [[The Ambassadors]]; {{S7}} p. 139-42</ref>).
works often express ====Differences - Freud and Lacan====There are, nevertheless, significant differences between the ways in poetic form truths about the psyche, which implies that[[Freud]] and [[Lacan]] approach [[work|works of art]].
creative writers can intuit directly =====Psychology of the truths which psychoanalysts only disArtist=====Though [[Lacan]] does [[speak]] about [[sublimation]], unlike [[Freud]] he does not believe that it is possible or even desirable for [[psychoanalyst]]s to say anything about the [[psychology]] of the [[art|artist]] on the basis of an examination of a [[art|work of art]].<ref>See his critical remarks on "[[art|psychobiography]]"; {{Ec}} 740-1</ref>
cover later by more laborious meansJust because the most fundamental [[complex]] ([[Oedipus complex|Oedipus]]) in [[psychoanalytic theory]] is taken from a [[art|literary work]], [[Lacan]] says, does not mean that [[psychoanalysis]] has anything to say about [[Sophocles]]. Secondly<ref>{{L}} "[[Works of Jacques Lacan|Lituraterre]], Freud also argued that a close" ''Littérature'', no. 3, 1971. p. 3</ref>
psychoanalytic reading =====Authorial Intentions=====[[Lacan]]'s [[exclusion]] of the [[art|artist]] from his discussions of [[art|works of literature could uncover elements art]] means that his [[interpretation|reading]]s of [[art|literary texts]] are not concerned to reconstruct the[[author]]'s [[intention]]s.
=====Discourse of the Analysand=====In his suspension of the question of [[author's psyche. While most of Freud's papers ]]ial [[consciousness|intent]], [[Lacan]] is not merely aligning himself with the [[structuralism|structuralist movement]] (after all, [[author]]ial [[consciousness|intent]] had been bracketed by [[art|New Criticism]] long before the [[structuralism|structuralists]] appeared on particular works the [[scene]]), but is rather illustrating the way in which the [[analyst]] should proceed when [[free association|listening]] to and [[interpretation|interpreting]] the [[discourse]] of artthe [[analysand]].
concern works of literatureThe [[analyst]] must, he did not entirely neglect in other [[words]], treat the [[analysand]]'s [[discourse]] as a [[art forms; for|text]]:
example <blockquote>You must start from the [[text]], start by treating it, as Freud does and as he devoted one paper recommends, as Holy Writ. The author, the scribe, is only a pen-pusher, and he comes second. . . . Similarly, when it comes to our [[patients]], please give more attention to the text than to discussing Michelangelo's statue the psychology of the author - the entire orientation of Mosesmy teaching is that.<ref>{{S2}} p. 153</ref></blockquote>
(Freud=====Method of Reading=====[[Lacan]]'s discussions of [[art|literary texts]] are thus not exercises in [[art|literary criticism]] for its own sake, 1914b)but performances designed to give his audience an [[idea]] of how they are to read the [[unconscious]] of their [[patient]]s.
This [[interpretation|method of reading]] is similar to those employed by [[structuralism|formalism]] and [[structuralism]]; the [[signified]] is neglected in favour of the [[signifier]], [[structure|content]] is bracketed in favour of [[structure|formal structures]].<ref>Although [[Jacques Derrida]] has argued that [[Lacan]] does not in fact follow his own method; [[Jacques Derrida|Derrida, Jacques]] 1975. "Le facteur de la vérité," in ''The Post Card: From [[Socrates]] to Freud and Beyond's works also abound in discussions ', trans. Alan Bass, Chicago and [[London]]: [[University]] of particular works Chicago Press, 1987, pp. 413-96.</ref> and by two of art[[Derrida]]'s followers.<ref>Lacoue-Labarthe, Philippe, and Nancy, Jean-Luc. 1973. ''Le Titre de la [[lettre]]'', [[Paris]]: Galilée. Like</ref>
Freud=====Illustrative Models=====Besides serving as models of a [[interpretation|method of reading]], which [[Lacan]] recommends [[analyst]]s to follow when [[interpretation|reading]] the [[discourse]] of their [[patient]]s, [[Lacan devotes most ]]'s discussions of his attention [[art|literary texts]] also aim to extract certain elements which serve as [[metaphor]]s to works illustrate some of literature of all genres:his most important [[ideas]].
prose (e.g. the discussion For example, in his [[reading]] of [[Poe]]'s ''[[The Purloined Letter by Edgar Allan Poe in S2]]'',[[Lacan]] points to the circulating [[letter]] as a [[metaphor]] for the [[signifier|determinative power]] of the [[signifier]].
ch. 16, and ====="Psychoanalytic Literary Criticism"=====A new branch of so-called "[[art|psychoanalytic literary criticism]]" now claims to be inspired by [[Lacan, 1955a), drama (e.g. the discussions of Shakespeare]]'sapproach to [[art|literary texts]].
Hamlet However, while such projects are interesting in Lacantheir own [[right]], 1958-9, and of Sophocles' Antigone they do not usually approach [[art|literature]] in S7, chs 19-21)the same way as [[Lacan]].
=====Analytic Interpretation=====That is, while [[art|psychoanalytic literary criticism]] aims to say something about the [[texts]] studied, both aspects of [[Lacan]]'s approach (to illustrate a mode of [[interpretation|analytic interpretation]], and poetry (e.g. to illustrate [[psychoanalytic]] [[:category:concepts|concepts]]) are concerned not with saying something about the discussion of Booz endormi by Victor Hugo in S3texts themselves, 218-but merely with using the texts to say something about [[psychoanalysis]].
25; S4, 377-8; E, 156-8; S8, 158-9)This is perhaps the most important [[difference]] between [[Lacan]]'s approach to works of art and [[Freud]]'s. However, Lacan also discusses the visual
arts=====Metalanguage=====Whereas some of [[Freud]]'s works are often taken to imply that [[psychoanalysis]] is a [[metalanguage|metadiscourse]], devoting several lectures in his 1964 seminar a [[metalanguage|master narrative]] providing a general lutmeneutic key that can unlock the hitherto unsolved secrets of [[art|literary works]], it is [[impossible]] to discussing painting,read [[Lacan]] as making any such claims.
particularly anamorphotic =====Methods and Concepts=====<b>For [[Lacan]], while [[psychoanalysis]] might be able to learn something about [[art (Sll|literature]], chs 7-9or use [[art|literary works]] to illustrate certain of its [[treatment|methods]] and [[:category:concepts|concepts]], where he discusses Holbein'sit is doubtful whether [[art|literary criticism]] can learn anything from [[psychoanalysis]].</b>
The Ambassadors; see also S7====="Applied Psychoanalysis"=====Hence [[Lacan]] rejects the idea that a [[art|literary criticism]] which makes use of [[psychoanalytic]] [[:category:concepts|concepts]] could be called "[[art|applied psychoanalysis]]", 139-42since "[p]sychoanalysis is only applied, in the proper [[sense]] of the term, as a [[treatment]], and thus to a [[subject]] who speaks and listens."<ref>{{Ec}} p. 747</ref>).
There are, nevertheless, significant differences between the ways in which==References==<div style="font-size:11px" class="references-small"><references/></div>[[Category:Freudian psychology]][[Category:Psychoanalysis]][[Category:Jacques Lacan]][[Category:Dictionary]][[Category:Culture]]
Freud and Lacan approach works of art. Though Lacan does speak about sublimation, unlike Freud he does not believe that it is possible or even desirable for psychoanalysts to say anything about the psychology of the artist on the basis of an examination of a work of art (see his critical remarks on 'psychobiography'; Ec, 740-1). Just because the most fundamental com- plex (Oedipus) in psychoanalytic theory is taken from a literary work, Lacan says, does not mean that psychoanalysis has anything to say about Sophocles (Lacan, 1971: 3). Lacan's exclusion of the artist from his discussions of works of art means that his readings of literary texts are not concerned to reconstruct the author's intentions. In his suspension of the question of authorial intent, Lacan is not merely aligning himself with the structuralist movement (after all, authorial intent had been bracketed by New Criticism long before the structuralists appeared on the scene), but is rather illustrating the way in which the analyst should proceed when listening to and interpreting the discourse of the analy- sand. The analyst must, in other words, treat the analysand's discourse as a text: You must start from the text, start by treating it, as Freud does and as he recommends, as Holy Writ. The author, the scribe, is only a pen-pusher, and he comes second. . . . Similarly, when it comes to our patients, please give more attention to the text than to the psychology of the author - the entire orientation of my teaching is that. (S2, 153) Lacan's discussions of literary texts are thus not exercises in literary criticism for its own sake, but performances designed to give his audience an idea of how they are to read the unconscious of their patients. This method of reading is similar to those employed by formalism and structuralism; the signified is neglected in favour of the signifier, content is bracketed in favour of formal structures (although Jacques Derrida has argued that Lacan does not in fact follow his own method; see Derrida, 1975). Besides serving as models of a method of reading, which Lacan recommends analysts to follow when reading the discourse of their patients, Lacan's discussions of literary texts also aim to extract certain elements which serve as metaphors to illustrate some of his most important ideas. For example, in his reading of Poe's The Purloined Letter, Lacan points to the circulating LETTER as a metaphor for the determinative power of the signifier. A new branch of so-called 'psychoanalytic literary criticism' now claims to be inspired by Lacan's approach to literary texts (e.g. Muller and Richardson, 1988, and Wright, 1984; other works dealing with Lacan and cultural theory are Davis, 1983; Felman, 1987; MacCannell, 1986). However, while such projects are interesting in their own right, they do not usually approach literature in the same way as Lacan. That is, while psychoanalytic literary criticism aims to say something about the texts studied, both aspects of Lacan's approach (to illustrate a mode of analytic interpretation, and to illustrate psychoanalytic concepts) are concerned not with saying something about the texts themselves, but merely with using the texts to say something about psychoanalysis. This is perhaps the most important difference between Lacan's approach to works of art and Freud's. Whereas some of Freud's works are often taken to imply that psychoanalysis is a metadiscourse, a master narrative providing a general lutmeneutic key that can unlock the hitherto unsolved secrets of literary works, it is impossible to read Lacan as making any such claims. For Lacan, while psychoanalysis might be able to learn something about literature, or use literary works to illustrate certain of its methods and concepts, it is doubtful whether literary criticism can learn anything from psychoanalysis. Hence Lacan rejects the idea that a literary criticism which makes use of psychoanalytic concepts could be called 'applied psychoanaly- sis', since '[p]sychoanalysis is only applied, in the proper sense of the term, as a treatment, and thus to a subject who speaks and listens' (Ec, 747).__NOTOC__
