Massimo Maiorino
Università di Salerno

Abstract

Among the interests of Tzvetan Todorov, a light but bright space is reserved for reflection on art. In his bibliography there is an organic line of studies dedicated especially to painting that links with some of the central issues that mark his thought. Since the debut studies dedicated to Russian formalists, Todorov combines theory and language, literature and visual arts. A project that, moving from a structuralist position, considers the painting as a device for the construction of language. This essay determines the coordinates of the aesthetic reflection of Todorov and follows the itinerary that is ideally opened by the diptych on Flemish painting – Praise of everyday life. Essay on 17th century Dutch painting (2000) and Praise of the individual. Essay on Flemish Renaissance painting(2001) – and crosses the beat of the modern through the experiences of Rembrandt (2011) and Goya(2013) and reaches the dream of the Russian avantgardes (2017) and the figure of Malevič.

Keywords

Theory and art Criticism – Theory of Painting – Art of the Avant-Gardes – Enlightenment and Visual Arts – Russian Formalism and Structuralism

DOI: 10.13131/2611-9757.SUITEFRANCAISE.N1.7