Imitatio
Imitatio (Greek μίμησις mímēsis , Latin imitatio 'imitation') is the name for the artistic imitation of reality as well as for the rhetorical, literary or artistic imitation of texts or works of visual art or music. The term also serves to denote the moral imitation of exemplary people.
In ancient times , students had to learn and analyze sample speeches by heart in order to orient their own rhetorical practice. You should come as close as possible to the respective role model in the art of speaking , possibly even exceed it ( aemulatio ). In this respect, imitatio denotes a central rhetorical exercise principle, whereby the rhetorical imitatio must be separated from the mimesis , which refers to an imitation of nature or reality in the work of art.
With Cicero it was important to approach the ideal of the perfect speaker ( perfectus orator ) and to imitate it as a model. However, it is not primarily a question of technical skills, but rather education is a prerequisite for true rhetoric; the perfect orator is at the same time a philosopher, combining eloquence with wisdom.
The Renaissance became the heyday of imitatio. There it was important to revive the art of words and literature, but also the fine arts of antiquity and to surpass them as far as possible.
From the 18th century, the art that can be learned through imitation separated from the works of the creative, autonomous genius . This makes the imitation questionable. Nihil autem crescit sola imitatione - but nothing grows where you only imitate - Quintilian had already warned.
literature
- Nicola Kaminski, Dina De Rentiis: Imitatio. In: Gert Ueding (Hrsg.): Historical dictionary of rhetoric . Volume 4, Niemeyer, Tübingen 1998, ISBN 3-484-68100-4 , Sp. 235-303