BEAUTY: ICONOLOGY AND DESIRE – REFLECTIONS ON AESTHETICS OF ARTS AND LITERARY OBJECTIVIZATION. LESSING’S EMILIA GALOTTI

Abstract

In Emilia Galotti, Lessing uses two portraits, paintings, to introduce a discussion on beauty, a topic he had approched a few years before in his framework Laokoon. Analyzing these two portraits, I focus my attention on the possibilities of imitation and perception of beauty in literature and show that this central category of esthetics is rather constructed than essential.