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Norbert Elias - The Kitsch Style and The Age-Of Kitsch

The document discusses Norbert Elias's exploration of the aesthetic transformations that occurred in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly in relation to the rise of the capitalist bourgeoisie. It highlights the shift from coherent artistic forms to a more fragmented and uncertain aesthetic, characterized by the emergence of 'kitsch' as a reflection of societal changes. Elias argues that this transition marks a significant departure from previous artistic traditions, influenced by the evolving social structures of the time.

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115 views8 pages

Norbert Elias - The Kitsch Style and The Age-Of Kitsch

The document discusses Norbert Elias's exploration of the aesthetic transformations that occurred in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly in relation to the rise of the capitalist bourgeoisie. It highlights the shift from coherent artistic forms to a more fragmented and uncertain aesthetic, characterized by the emergence of 'kitsch' as a reflection of societal changes. Elias argues that this transition marks a significant departure from previous artistic traditions, influenced by the evolving social structures of the time.

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‘The Collected Works of Norbert Elias [ore (Cha) rc Dannieg an es Stephen Meno ed = TieCnet Sin Fnac Ontatoe pierre ReLowinaf te Dungend mane ona 1 QuefrEntnn pron Ching Pens & atanyor Foe essay a 1 Mawr thesia 3 Tsp Ter 1 aloft Eager a NORBERT ELIAS Early Writings Trost y Edewund pct ‘The Collected Works of Norbert Bias vous 1 de pRchar Rn 9 The kitsch style and the age of kitsch Iamemor of Welfgang Heiner 1 “That bourgeois strata fought their way to supremacy inthe Westin the course of the nineteenth century i well knows; and the importance of Dourgeois dominance forthe vocal and pail fat ofnations hasbeen discussed and evaluated often enough. "The profound transformation of aesthetitorms which tok place in this period the changesin architectural syle or clothing for example hhasalso been frequently mentioned and described ‘Butthe connection between thee two etsof changes in societyand seathedc, hat hardly ever been thoroughly imestigated or made visible, One feels that there isa deeper division benveen the sles of the ight- ‘enth and nineteenth centuries than between what we cll the baroque and the racoco, But this iferencein the native ofthe aesthetic change only becomes clear if its understood in ters of the sittation ofthe society concerned, The change from the “baroque tothe rococo’ from “Tron Kt und Kiva ri Mate den eva tats nM rb oars 1 Wola Heiner 505-4), Cerman poe paras Mann aria seca ion Hecommited itn ay py isotopy Te Taringa ‘Thar nt Cty: Ta spies neo: Maar Went {hn Shes hen aang ene anda (8 Sarthe emer ba ory he ere enon i ih nd hah (Ea Sr he oe. 80 eaRty werrisos: ‘he Louis Quatorzeto the ‘Regence’ syle, a change within the frame: work the somesocialsrann. The deeper dvsion which exis berween the characteristic forms ofthe eighteenth an nineteenth centuriesisan ‘expression of the rise to power of new secal stratum, the capitalist Industrial bourgeoisie, Courtajle and tate vere replaced by those of the ‘capitalist bourgeoisie Teh sometimes been sid thatthe eighteenth century was the lstto ‘havea sve atall And indeed, hardly has on= dared entertain theidea ‘of acapitalis syle than the doubts et in: Catone still peak of sein this context? Ie seems clear thatthe se of bourgeos profesional and industrial sociesywasmatked notonly by therplacement ofone aesthetic, ‘ne sple" by another, but by the collapre ofa coherent set of typical ‘expressive forms, The aesthetic productions of capitalist society therefore tend to be described, far more than earlier one, in elation tthe single ‘creative individual, or at most wo arious schools and tendencies. The cxintence ofa unified developmentofforms nd of common, pica basic _sruetutes,inabort of ye’ of artworks in the capitalist world, remains ‘more or less obscure. Names have been foune, at most forepisodesin this development forexampl, theso-caled gens’A more comprehensive ‘name flicking, and the problem itself hs hardy yet emerged into out the term ite ses used hereof thisgap, thatmayseem ike apiece of eccentiiy or even a malicious depreciation ofthe art of our time, In reali thechoice ofthis term sanyting butatendensious whim For if we look beyond che general term ‘capitals’ or ‘uberal for lunderying concepts expressing what is unform in capitalist aesthetic idiom, after much siting of words which arecither colourless or imply posiive evaluation, one comesactossthistermatoneoftheeryfewnhich xpress a pervasive feature of capt aesthetic products To be sre the term kiachisunclearenoughin common wage. But ificeanand should ‘mean anything more hana ndom hotehpor of wstles abominations, ifitistobe condense from tsrague generale to embrace the conereee [heniomenon which underiesits topicality nour day, thentscontentand ‘boundaries must be sought in the evoltion of aesthetie form within 5 omen "Carman eon of ue Nomen, heater a ne ‘rie KITSCH STYLE AND THEAGE OF KITSCH 8 bourgeoisie: Thatthe peculiar ofan age fis:becomes visible from anegadve aspects certainly not without precedentin history Originally, termsach baroque’ or "gothic did not havea much more positive ring ‘han itech has toda. Theirvalie content change ony in the course of seciat development, and ~ without giving undue weight to historical parallels the trm “itech aye is introduced herewith che same hikel- ‘hood and expectation thats value may change, and to help prepare for such change. Ieisused frst ofall, to designate the slic character of the prewar period. Butso one able to say whether we urseliesare not stl prewar ~thatis more lovely tied tothe preg 4 period, when sen in hitorial perspective than appears to us tay from our cose, foreshortening viewpoint. ‘What the term ‘kitsch syle" is intended to express fist of ail am aesthetic quality ofa very peculiar kind, nameW the greater formal uncertainty inherent in al artistic production win industrial scien This can already be seen in the very eary tages ofthe bourgeoicapitalis. ra For to begin with, iberal-hourgecs society certainly did not express. itt in entirely new forms. Ornamentation persited, snd Empire! and Biodermeer were clearly descendantsof the old course, What was lox, ove all was the certainty of taste and of the creative imagination, the solidi ofthe formal tradition which was discernible earlier n even the lumslest products, Outbursts of feeling of unprecedented intensity tattered the old forms; groping for new ones, arti produced some wel formed works but, to an unprecedented degree, others marked by an extreme want of clarity and taste. In this groping, thiscoexitence of high ‘sandards with a toa ack of standards, not only in different aris but ‘fen in one andthe sae individual, the changed aructure ofthe artistic proces found especially vid expression, For even te mostcapable artist, The lapse inte fore Every succenfl filly formed work was now wrested rom the aby toa ‘quite different extent than had ben the ease eal, when a Rr social tration both fetered and sustained the ereatve urge. The formal tendencies ofthe works of greatartss, whether the were called Heine or ness now becitne an acute and constant threat. tse cee tyes eaten Victor Hugo, Wagner or Verdi, Rodi or Rilke ere imately connected tothosedinplayed bythe mediocre works, which we disminsasabersations, sprout of dxintegration and decadence a8 "itsch sone merges aly and imperceptibly into the other Kitch in the negative ens, therefore, ever only something antagonistic existing outside the worksof the rue ‘creators butisalsobasesiwation thin them. apartof themselves, This incesant interpenetration of structure and disintegration isa feature of the enduring egulariyto be obsewed in industal scien Iecould be ‘demonstrated no lesen the works ofthe ineteendh than ofthe wentiedh Ccenturyin the West in Balzac ain Ge, in Ingresasin Picasso, Andis felt ‘most strongly in precisely those works ofthis eri which form is mort, highly developed. The ponerflaccentuaton, the peculiarly artificial and sometimesalmost conve intensyofform characteristic ofsome ofthe greatest modernartst expreses,indamental nothing other thn this imsecuriny thiunremiting struggle guns formlesnessand disintegration ‘which even the mos accomplished arts have wo wage today. Think of Stefan George or Pl Valery, of Proustor Thomas Mann, whose wrbanely Tnonie speech rythm is nothing bua rampart ofthis kind So mach has lapidaion become in ouragea conse element, decsvelyafecting ‘even the postive aspect of artistic works. And, as ean be seen the 1e- ‘alton ofkitich aa poitivecon-epr began already in thatperiod. 0 ‘There were gifted arts who created ther works between the firm river ‘banks ofastrong formal ration, supportedand restrained bythe bearer ofthintradtion, anon captaliet"good ci’. Theywere followed byothers ‘who had tomake theirway without sich support, ehng far more om them ‘ehs. But certainly the boundaryine between the two Npercan be onl) approximatelydravm, Outward thetransion between themismade most “tikinglyvsbl bythe destruction ofthe Paria courtwcietyin the French Revolution. Butthis ventas only asmptom ofa comprehensive sociale srouping whit took place very gradually Even the rerevoluionary Grewze and the prvevoluionary David were representatives ofthe new bourgeois sleand belonged toanextent,totheage of kitsch, Between themon one ‘Side and the representatives ofthe court idiom, Waitea, Fragonard and Boucher onthe oer, artslowly change its direction ‘The sameis tue ofliteraure. ln tht area, too, atsomewhatditferent limes in each countey, depending on its stage of social development, the same turning point is discernible In France itis to be found roughly between Voltaire and Balzac. in Gennanybetween Goethe and Heine. But ‘ven Goethe and Voltaire were nolonger ancien rginin the strict sense, ‘butmore or ess transitional Sgureson the periphery of court society ‘Voltaire'sstleand sense of for were schooled and polished directly within the circles ofthe court nobiity. Throughout his hfe he remained strongly attached tothe traditions of thisociety ith regard to form and tase. His deep understanding his surance in matters of form and taste vere entirely ofthat society, But that he, the son of bourgeois parents, turned pay against the conserwative maxims of court ccles where reasonand eligion were concerned, tat he aasabet turn against them, already expresses the wanstional sation afthatsocety He was exported to the influences both ofthe high cour society, which was already very decentralised, and of the hourgecis capitalist one which was gradually coming nt beingandemancipating ise Ina different sense, corresponding to the diferent structure of| the German countries, Goethe, too, was such a marginal gure, on the periphery ofthe courteraand facing towardsthe bourgeois age. However, ‘we should never forget thatthe ancen rigesurvved in Prossi-German, inabourgeoisiied and industria farm, until 1918, whereasit had by and large been demolished in France ie 1789, Butin France, wth its contin- uous tration over many centuries, the form

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