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19 - For Emotion’s Sake … The Centrality of Emotions in the Art Experience

from Part IV - Emotions and Creative Products

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 February 2023

By
Pablo P. L. Tinio  and
Eva Specker
Edited by
Zorana Ivcevic ,
Jessica D. Hoffmann  and
James C. Kaufman
Zorana Ivcevic
Affiliation:
Yale University, Connecticut
Jessica D. Hoffmann
Affiliation:
Yale University, Connecticut
James C. Kaufman
Affiliation:
University of Connecticut
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Summary

Emotions are some of the most discussed aspects of the experience of art, and it has even been argued that emotions are synonymous with art. This chapter will delve into how art simultaneously conveys and evokes emotions, a feature that helps to distinguish the experience of art from experiences in other areas of life. The chapter will also discuss the developments in research methodologies and trends in the scientific study of art that have brought our understanding of art from being based mainly on anecdotal evidence to being empirically-founded. The longstanding issues associated with emotions and art, as well as present state-of-the-art research on the role of emotions in aesthetic experiences, will also be presented. Finally, the chapter will identify some of the questions and challenges for future research in emotions and art.

Keywords

emotionsartaesthetic experienceart appreciationmuseums
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity and Emotions , pp. 358 - 375
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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