Die Geschöpfe des Daidalos

The ancient Greeks have developed a culture of sight of extraordinary density and diversity. They lived surrounded by images that were present in all meaningful living spaces and responded to the essential needs of social life. In this book, which was created in connection with a cycle of lectures by the Chaire du Louvre, Tonio Hölscher poses a fundamental question: What role did these images play in the lives of the inhabitants of the Greek cities? All the images had a precise function, be it in public spaces - sanctuaries and temples, political buildings, sports facilities, theaters, necropolises - or in private homes. They represented a 'society' with its own vital life force. Tonio Hölscher's research focuses on the image culture and the social rules and norms that guided the interaction between members of the urban communities and the images. It is necessary to break away from the modern "museum habitus" of the art viewer and to develop an understanding of "living with pictures".