From German architecture
In the text “Von Deutscher Baukunst” from 1773, which is dedicated to Erwin von Steinbach , the builder of the Strasbourg Cathedral , Johann Wolfgang Goethe describes his conception of true art and his concept of genius, which he clarifies through Steinbach's work.
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Goethe begins with an appreciation of Steinbach's work by rejecting the idea of building a monument to Steinbach out of honor, since he had already created a monument for himself by building the minster. When Goethe saw the cathedral for the first time, he was taken by the generally accepted prejudice that everything that was Gothic was overwhelmed and overloaded by arbitrary ornamentation. For him, as for most of his contemporaries, everything that could not be reconciled with his conception of art was Gothic. This judgment was invalidated by his unexpected feelings at the sight of the minster. The impression that all details harmonized with one another filled his soul, and the cathedral seemed to him like something created by gods for eternity. Thus, Gothic would not be a suitable term for Goethe, since it does not generate enough respect for this work of art.
In Goethe's opinion, Steinbach was the first to succeed in combining countless details into a harmonizing whole in a work of art. In addition, he only brought in his own ideas and did not allow any foreign thoughts, whereby he was primarily guided by his feelings. Thanks to the cathedral, Steinbach achieved an eternal godlike status, since Goethe ascribes him the same creative power as the gods. Furthermore, he should bring more bliss to people than Prometheus . Steinbach thus corresponds to Goethe's idea of a genius. According to Goethe, there is a formative nature in every person, which works more clearly the more one orientates oneself according to one's feelings.
In order to clarify his ideas of true art, Goethe lists the opposite. As an example, he cites the French and Italians, who based their architectural masterpieces on old forms and would only imitate them. Here, however, one should not always speak of imitation; rather, they would use foreign ideas and spoil it through their processing. They are not in a position to create something that lasts forever because they did not rely on their feelings and thus did not achieve the harmonizing effect of the minster. When creating their works of art, they adhered to what others asked them to do, and thus no creations of their own were created. Since old principles and rules are still used to decide what is right, nothing new emerges, only simple-minded and patriarchal art. Since the existing rules are often directed against nature, these principles would hinder art and its knowledge. This means that people are unable to recognize the truth as a result. For Goethe this uniformity brought about by the old rules was unbearable, and he believed that it was suppressing his soul.
True art expresses itself in the fact that, like in nature, countless individual parts would result in a harmonizing whole, whereby everything has its purpose and nothing is useless. Art arises from arbitrary forms, since it only becomes something whole through sensations, and only from own ideas, without the unloved influences according to Johann Gottfried Herder . This form of art is the real deal. Goethe doesn't like anything artificial, for him this condition applies above all to nature. For this reason, people should stop beautifying the things around them (i.e. nature) because they are already perfect. Goethe sees beauty there where many of his fellow men only see uncultivatedness ("roughness"), which is why he is also able to appreciate the cathedral accordingly, where others may only show incomprehension. This beauty arises from sensory impressions and cannot be explained rationally. Critics of the minster are asked to go to the Italians or the French and thus to turn their backs on "true art". The minster deserves recognition, and in view of this, Goethe will overlook what Steinbach's attempts have failed, in his opinion.
For these reasons, Goethe had the greatest admiration for the Strasbourg cathedral and its builder.
Erwin von Steinbach as a genius for Goethe
In Sturm und Drang someone was considered a genius if he was a model of human behavior with great creative spirit and acted according to his own individual values, norms, plans and ideas. Thus a genius was the epitome of human self-realization. Furthermore, a genius was someone who did something groundbreaking for the future or the present. Nature was an essential part of genius. Many of these features can also be found in Steinbach. An essential characteristic by which a genius can be identified is the creative power that can also be found at Steinbach. Goethe even ascribes divine creative power to him ("... same fate with the master builder, who piled mountains in the clouds ..."). In order to clarify the divine creative power, Goethe often uses biblical comparisons, for example by referring to Steinbach's designs for the cathedral as " Babel thoughts ". The cathedral itself is also compared to a "lofty, widespread tree of God" in order to emphasize its glory. In addition, Goethe explains to Steinbach what he imagines as self-evolvement, because Steinbach did not create his masterpiece through “strange wings”, but rather his own idea arose in his youthful soul and developed further in his spirit. This own idea could never have come about if he had been guided by guidelines. However, the construction of the minster retained its independence. The comparison with Prometheus also makes it clear that Steinbach is a genius for Goethe. Steinbach is like Goethe's “Prometheus” because he too has the same creative power as the gods and is therefore not a servant of the gods. In summary, Steinbach embodies a genius for Goethe.
“True art” for Goethe
For Goethe, true art expresses itself in the fact that the creator can be recognized by his individuality in the work of art, so it is characteristic art. The artist has to act according to his feelings and not according to plans, old dimensions and fixed specifications. Because the artist brings more emotions with him, the work of art shows living beauty. Since art should mainly be based on nature and nothing is unnecessary in nature, nothing is unnecessary in "true art" either. Rather, innumerable individual parts harmonize with each other and result in the work of art through the feelings of the viewer. Individuality is very important. In architecture, for example, it expresses itself through free-standing columns . Because they are not walled in, they also symbolize how artists should be: free from principles.
Relevance for the era of Sturm und Drang
This text by Goethe is relevant to the Sturm und Drang insofar as Goethe uses Erwin von Steinbach and the Strasbourg Cathedral to explain what he considers true art and what he understands by genius. His explanations are therefore to be understood as a model for society. Furthermore, Goethe creates a reference to Herder by writing that art must arise from its own ideas. These ideas, but also the feelings of the viewer, should not be overlaid by abstractions and strange thoughts. It is also typical of Sturm und Drang that terms such as “soul”, “sensation” and “feeling” shape this text.
literature
Johann Gottfried Herder: Excerpt from an exchange of letters about Ossian and the songs of the old peoples (1773). In: Erich Löwenthal (Ed.): Sturm und Drang. Critical Writings. Lambert Schneider, Heidelberg 1972, p. 533.