LEE, Alex Taek-Gwang
Colors of the Concepts. Philosophers on Paintings

This book explores the relationship between philosophy and painting, showing how thinkers such as Hegel and Merleau-Ponty developed their key concepts through direct engagement with specific artworks. Unlike traditional surveys that often treat philosophical ideas as abstract, Colors of the Concepts: Philosophers on Paintings emphasises how these ideas were shaped by concrete encounters with visual art. Each chapter discusses how the philosophical frameworks of these thinkers were influenced by their experiences with paintings, uncovering the often-overlooked link between visual art and philosophical thought.

By examining the work of eight major philosophers, the book traces how visual experiences contributed to the development of their ideas, offering new insights into the history of philosophy. The approach taken in this monograph bridges aesthetics with other branches of philosophy, such as metaphysics, epistemology and ethics, demonstrating how visual art has influenced the course of intellectual history. This method not only highlights the importance of painting in philosophical discourse but also shows how visual art has shaped abstract reasoning. [publisher's note]

Published by Anthem Press, 2025
Art Theory