This chapter, excerpted from "Vita delle forme," explores the intricate relationship between form and matter in art. The author argues against the traditional separation of spirit and matter, demonstrating how artistic form is inextricably linked to the material used and the techniques employed. Different materials possess unique "formal vocations," influencing and being modified by artistic processes. The text emphasizes the importance of the artist's "touch" – the interaction between hand, tool, and material – as a crucial element in creating form. Ultimately, the author advocates for a phenomenological approach to art history, analyzing the genesis of artworks through their materiality and the techniques that shape them.

Please note that the podcast covers key points from the source with synthetic voices, which may have glitches. It’s a reflective, not comprehensive, interpretation.

Focillon, H., & Castelnuovo, E. (1990). Vita delle forme seguito da Elogio della mano. Einaudi. ISBN 978-88-06-16332-7. (pp. 51-67)

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