Walter Benjamin, Das Kunstwerk im Zeitalter seiner technischen Reproduzierbarkeit [The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction]

Kate Armond (University of Essex)
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On 31 January 1936 Walter Benjamin wrote to his friend and Frankfurt School colleague Theodor Adorno to express delight that the first draft of his essay on the work of art and technical reproduction would be appearing in French translation in the Institute’s journal,

Zeitschrift für Sozialforschung

 [

Journal for Social Research

] 5.1.1936. Pierre Klossowski’s translation was published under the title “L’oeuvre d’art à l’époque de sa reproduction mécanisée”, and this initial version preserves the nineteen separate sub-sections, each offering a title and a different perspective on the evolution of the work of art from Greek civilisation through to Fascism. Two subsequent versions followed, with the final abridged and more oblique treatment of these themes finished in…

3564 words

Citation: Armond, Kate. "Das Kunstwerk im Zeitalter seiner technischen Reproduzierbarkeit". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 24 April 2020 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=24671, accessed 29 March 2024.]

24671 Das Kunstwerk im Zeitalter seiner technischen Reproduzierbarkeit 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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