9780847837236

On Ugliness

Format: Paperback

ISBN13: 9780847837236

Paperback|9780847837236


Overview

In the mold of his acclaimed History of Beauty, renowned cultural critic Umberto Eco’s On Ugliness is an exploration of the monstrous and the repellant in visual culture and the arts. What is the voyeuristic impulse behind our attraction to the gruesome and the horrible? Where does the magnetic appeal of the sordid and the scandalous come from? Is ugliness also in the eye of the beholder? Eco’s encyclopedic knowledge and captivating storytelling skills combine in this ingenious study of the Ugly, revealing that what we often shield ourselves from and shun in everyday life is what we’re most attracted to subliminally. Topics range from Milton’s Satan to Goethe’s Mephistopheles; from witchcraft and medieval torture tactics to martyrs, hermits, and penitents; from lunar births and disemboweled corpses to mythic monsters and sideshow freaks; and from Decadentism and picturesque ugliness to the tacky, kitsch, and camp, and the aesthetics of excess and vice. With abundant examples of painting and sculpture ranging from ancient Greek amphorae to Bosch, Brueghel, and Goya among others, and with quotations from the most celebrated writers and philosophers of each age, this provocative discussion explores in-depth the concepts of evil, depravity, and darkness in art and literature.

ISBN-13

9780847837236

ISBN-10

0847837238

Weight

1.90 Pounds

Dimensions

6.25 x 1.25 x 8.50 In

List Price

$35.00

Edition

1st Edition

Format

Paperback

Language

English

Pages

456 pages

Publisher

Rizzoli

Published On

2011-10-18



View All Offers

Sort by:

Condition
Seller
Seller Comments
Price
Used, Good
Seller details
Goodwill of Greater Milwaukee
★★★★★

Milwaukee, WI, USA

Book is considered to be in good or better condition. The actual cover image may not match the sto...
$51.88

 Free delivery by: 30 Mar 2026

Used, Good
Seller details
Bonita
★★★★☆

Santa Clarita, CA, USA

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items. May be an ex-library book.
$98.13

 Free delivery by: 30 Mar 2026


Bookstores.com relies on cookies to improve your experience.