
Messengers of Infinity
On the Pictorial Logic of Leonardo da Vinci
Eyal Peretz(Author)
State University of New York Press
Published on 1. March 2025
Book
Hardback
112 pages
979-8-8558-0154-5 (ISBN)
Description
The first philosophical engagement with the pictorial work of Leonardo, seen as a systematic whole.
Presented here is the first philosophical engagement with the pictorial work of Leonardo, seen as a systematic whole. It is not written from the point of view of an art historian, even as it tries to benefit from art historical insights and procedures, but that of contemporary continental philosophy and theories of modern artistic media. Author Eyal Peretz's main objective is to understand the historical and logical place Leonardo's paintings occupy in the transition from the age of medieval sacred images to Renaissance or early modern painting. Leonardo, Peretz argues, introduced a media revolution, which has still not been fully assimilated and understood. His "modernity" is still ahead of us. Written in a clear and engaging style, Messengers of Infinity, will appeal equally to Leonardo experts, experts in continental philosophy, and those who are experts in neither of these fields but have an intellectual curiosity about the historical and conceptual significance of Leonardo in particular and of modern painting in general.
Presented here is the first philosophical engagement with the pictorial work of Leonardo, seen as a systematic whole. It is not written from the point of view of an art historian, even as it tries to benefit from art historical insights and procedures, but that of contemporary continental philosophy and theories of modern artistic media. Author Eyal Peretz's main objective is to understand the historical and logical place Leonardo's paintings occupy in the transition from the age of medieval sacred images to Renaissance or early modern painting. Leonardo, Peretz argues, introduced a media revolution, which has still not been fully assimilated and understood. His "modernity" is still ahead of us. Written in a clear and engaging style, Messengers of Infinity, will appeal equally to Leonardo experts, experts in continental philosophy, and those who are experts in neither of these fields but have an intellectual curiosity about the historical and conceptual significance of Leonardo in particular and of modern painting in general.
Reviews / Votes
"Messengers of Infinity is a transformative rereading of a well-known figure that cuts through scholasticism and allows you to see an aspect of a work that scholarship obscured. The prose is lucid and inviting, with no shred of jargon and few technical terms, making this work equally appealing to both phenomenologists and fans of Leonardo."-Paul North, author of Bizarre-Privileged Items in the Universe: The Logic of Likeness"Rigorously argued and deeply felt, this is a fresh and welcome addition to Leonardo studies." - Amy Knight Powell, author of Depositions: Scenes from the Late Medieval Church and the Modern Museum
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Albany, NY
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
US School Grade: College Graduate Student and over
Illustrations
12 Figures
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
328 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-8558-0154-5 (9798855801545)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
03/2025
State University of New York Press
€33.99
Available for download
Person
Eyal Peretz is Professor of Comparative Literature at Indiana University Bloomington.
Content
Introduction At the Threshold of Appearance: Painting beyond the Sacred
1. The Annunciation of Painting: Falling into the Landscape (The Annunciation; Virgin of the Rocks)
2. The Death of God and the Coming Community (The Last Supper)
3. Out of the Blue: The Play of the World and the Overcoming of Sacrifice (The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne)
4. The (Self-)Portrait of Modernity (Mona Lisa)
Conclusion
Notes
Works Cited
Index
1. The Annunciation of Painting: Falling into the Landscape (The Annunciation; Virgin of the Rocks)
2. The Death of God and the Coming Community (The Last Supper)
3. Out of the Blue: The Play of the World and the Overcoming of Sacrifice (The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne)
4. The (Self-)Portrait of Modernity (Mona Lisa)
Conclusion
Notes
Works Cited
Index