Winckelmann on Taste: A Somaesthetic Perspective

This article argues that somaesthetic thinking is central to Winckelmann's theory of artistic taste, rendering it more relevant to contemporary aesthetic contexts. After briefly defining this perspective and the importance of somatic cultivation in Winckelmann's life, the article first explores how somatic factors are crucial in Winckelmann's account of how good artistic taste originated in ancient Greece. It then examines how somatic feelings play a central role in determining a person's aptitude for properly appreciating beauty in art and how those feelings operate in the judgment of taste. The article concludes by examining Winckelmann's use of bodily reactions and somaesthetic reflection in his own critical practice, purveying a somatically grounded model of strong feelings tempered with composed understanding.