Title: The Age of Insight: The Quest to Understand the Unconscious in Art, Mind, and Brain, from Vienna 1900 to the Present
Author: Eric R. Kandel
First published March 27, 2012
636 pages, Kindle Edition
Rating: 4.2
Overview
The Age of Insight: The Quest to Understand the Unconscious in Art, Mind, and Brain, from Vienna 1900 to the Present by Eric R. Kandel is a fascinating read that takes us back to the cultural capital of Europe – Vienna, 1900.
This was a time when scientists, artists, and thinkers gathered in salons to exchange ideas that would revolutionize the way we think about the human mind and its relationship with art. Nobel Prize winner Kandel delves into the world of Vienna to uncover how the Vienna School of Medicine influenced pioneers such as Freud, Schnitzler, Klimt, Kokoschka, and Schiele to make groundbreaking discoveries about the unconscious mind.
Kandel connects their work to modern-day neuroscience, shedding new light on how we perceive art and how our thoughts and emotions relate to the brain. With rich detail and stunning illustrations, The Age of Insight provides a foundation for future work in neuroscience and the humanities.
It is a brilliantly written, superbly researched, and captivating book that will broaden your understanding of the human mind and its connection to art.
About the Author
Meet Eric Richard Kandel. He’s a medical doctor from Austria who specializes in psychology and neuroscience.
Impressively, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2000 for his research on how neurons store memories. He shared the prize with Arvid Carlsson and Paul Greengard.
Kandel is a notable professor of biochemistry and biophysics at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He’s also a Senior Investigator in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
To top it off, he founded the Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, which has now expanded into the Department of Neuroscience at Columbia.
Editoral Review
Eric R. Kandel, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist and Columbia University professor, explores the interplay between art, mind, and brain in his 2012 book The Age of Insight: The Quest to Understand the Unconscious in Art, Mind, and Brain, from Vienna 1900 to the Present.
Kandel examines the works of a diverse group of artists and thinkers from Vienna in the early 20th century, including Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, and Sigmund Freud, to elucidate how artists and scientists understand the human experience, consciousness, and creativity. Kandel introduces readers to the Vienna that was the stage for this artistic and intellectual revolution, a vibrant city where scientific and artistic circles intersected and inspired one another.
He highlights the role of the unconscious in the creation and interpretation of art, as well as in our understanding of human behavior, thoughts, and emotions. The book richly documents the transformation of art and science from the early years of the 20th century to the present day, highlighting how the shifting cultural climate has influenced both fields.
The Age of Insight is a thought-provoking, beautifully written book that offers a deep dive into the ways the brain processes the creation and appreciation of art. With an extensive bibliography, the book is a masterly work of multidisciplinary scholarship that draws connections between neurobiology, psychology, and the arts.
Kandel’s case studies are vivid, detailed, and carefully chosen to demonstrate his central points. The book not only provides insights on the human mind, but also profound historical lessons.
It shows readers how the events of the past century have shaped the way in which artists and scientists have examined the human experience, and how this examination has changed over time. Kandel highlights the disruptive effects of political events on scientific and artistic communities, and the challenges that arise from the intersection of science, art, and politics.
Kandel’s writing is scholarly but accessible, making the book suitable for both academic and popular audiences. He provides extensive background and context for each of his case studies, so readers can appreciate the profound significance of the examples he offers.
Although the material is at times dense, Kandel has a knack for making the science behind the art accessible. Despite its many strengths, The Age of Insight does have a few minor flaws.
At times, the amount of detail provided can be overwhelming, and some of the historical and scientific background may be too detailed for readers without a strong foundation in the subjects involved. Additionally, while Kandel offers numerous examples from art history, readers may wish for a broader collection of visual representations in order to offer more diversity in the artistic disciplines that are highlighted.
Despite these issues, The Age of Insight is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection between art, science, and the human experience. Kandel’s passion for his subject matter is evident on each and every page, and his insights offer rich rewards for those willing to invest the time and effort into this beautifully crafted book.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
