The World as Will and Idea, Vol. I — Arthur Schopenhauer, trans. Haldane & Kemp

If then, in accordance with what has been said, allegory in plastic and pictorial art is a mistaken effort, serving an end which is entirely foreign to art. it becomes quite unbearable when it leads so far astray that the representation of forced and violently introduced subtilties degenerates into absurdity. Such, for example, is s tortoise, to represent feminine seclusion; the downwar3 glance of FTemesis into the drapery <^hw bosom, signifying that she can see into what is hidden : the explana: tion of liellori that Hannibal Caracci represents voluptuousness dothed in a yellow robe, because he wishes tolndicate tharK^i^yCTs__soonJ[a4ai^ as straw. TFtEere is absolutely no connection betweer Iffie representation and the conception signified by it founded on subsumption under the concept, or association of Ideas ; but the signs and the things signified art combined in a purely conventional manner, by positive accidentally introduced laws ; then I call this degenerate kind of allegory Symbolism. Thus the rose is the symbol of secrecy, the laurel is the symbol of fame, the palm ia

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the symbol of peace, the scallop-shell is the symbol of pilgrimage, the cross~is the symbol of the Christian religion.^ To this class also belongs all significance of mere colour, as yellow is the colour of falseness, and blue is the colour of fidelity. Such symbols may often^e of use in life, but their value is foreign to art.

They are S^mply to be regarded as hieroglyphics, or like Chinese word-writing, and really belong to the same class as armorial bearings, the bush that indicates a public-house, the key of the chamberlain, or the leather of the mountoineer. it, nnally, certain Imtorical or mythical persons, or personified conceptions, are represented by certain fixed symbols, these are properly called emblems.

Such are the beasts of the Evangelist, the owl of Minerva, the apple oT Paris, the Anchor of ^ope, For the most ^ft^ however, we understand by emblems those simple allegorical representations explained by a motto, which are meant to express a moral truth, and of which large collections have been made by J. Camerarius, Alciatus, and others. They form the transition to poetical allegory, of which we shall have more to say later.

Greek sculpture devotes itself to the perception, and therefore it is oestheticalj Indian scu^ture devotes lteeIF~tb “lEfie concep^n, and therefore it is merely syr^otXcc^

Tliis conclusion m regard to^Hegory, which is founded on our consideration of the nature of art and quite consistent with it, is directly opposed to the opinion of Wincklemaun, who, far from explaining allegory, as we do, as something quite foreign to the end of art, and often interfering with it, always speaks in favour of it, and indeed (Works, vol. i. p. 5 5) places the highest aim of art in the “representation of universal conceptions, and non-sensuous things.” We leave it to every one to adhere to whichever view he pleases. 1 Only the truth became very clear to me from these and similar views of Wincklemann connected with his peculiar metaphysic of the beautiful, that one may have the greatest suscepti3*0

THE WORLD AS IDEA.

BK. IIL

bility for artistic beauty, and the soundest judgment in regard to it, without being able to give an abstract and strictly philosophical justification of the nature of the beautiful ; just as one may be very noble and virtuous, and may have a tender conscience, which decides with perfect accuracy in particular cases, without on that account being in a position to investigate and explain in the abstract the ethical significance of action.