哲学杂志철학 학술지哲学のジャーナルEast Asian
Journal of
Philosophy

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Publication details

Year: 2021

Pages: 25-37

Series: East Asian Journal of Philosophy

Full citation:

Cynthia A. Freeland, "Magical Portraits", East Asian Journal of Philosophy 1 (1), 2021, pp. 25-37.

Abstract

Visual portraits can be alluring by being very lifelike. This feature has been a favorite one for artists to explore in film and fiction: it sometimes leads to romance and sometimes to danger and obsession. Whereas Pygmalion and Professor Higgins fall in love with their own creations come to life, in some stories and film portraits, as in the noir classics Rebecca and Laura, the powerful gaze of women in pictures exerts an uncanny force that extends beyond death. The Harry Potter books and films feature portraits that can move and talk, sometimes in amusing, sometimes educational, ways. My essay meditates on how artists across diverse genres have represented the magical powers of portraits, with a particular focus on one of the more fascinating fictional examples, Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. Wilde’s novella offers a complex consideration of relations between art and life. It shows both why portraits can be fascinating and how their magical art can become dark and dangerous.

Cited authors

Publication details

Year: 2021

Pages: 25-37

Series: East Asian Journal of Philosophy

Full citation:

Cynthia A. Freeland, "Magical Portraits", East Asian Journal of Philosophy 1 (1), 2021, pp. 25-37.