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68

What is peculiar to spiritual production can, through the manner of its expression, turn directly into such an externality of a thing that it can now equally be produced by others; so that, with its acquisition, the new owner — apart from thereby being able to make his own the communicated thoughts or the technical invention (a possibility which, in the case of literary works, in part constitutes the sole determination and value of the acquisition) — comes at the same time into possession of the universal manner of expressing himself in this way and of producing such things in multiple copies.

|71| In works of art, the form that gives figurative shape to the thought in an external material, as a thing, is so much the peculiar property of the producing individual that any imitation of it is essentially the product of the imitator’s own spiritual and technical skill. In a literary work, on the other hand, the form by which it becomes an external thing is, as with the invention of a technical device, of a mechanical kind — in the former case because the thought is presented only in a series of isolated abstract signs, not in concrete figuration; in the latter, because it has a mechanical content in general — and the manner of producing such things as things belongs among the ordinary skills. Between the extremes of the work of art and handicraft production, there are, moreover, transitional cases, containing now more, now less, of the one or the other.

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2 responses to “68”

  1. Hegel (Notes) Avatar
    Hegel (Notes)

    Painting – [a] work of art – not a sign – but a representation – imitation – the sensuous [element] presents what it is [meant] to signify.
    § 68. I want to receive, for it, the value, that which it has cost me –
    Spiritual production is something universal in itself – spirit –
    Individual manual labor – plowing – the skill is not contained within it, as it is in a machine, a clock, which is copied – Whoever acquires the particular [thing also] acquires the skill, the wit, acumen, talent – i.e., the [general] capacity to produce the same, not the capacity to invent, i.e., to make in turn something different, but the same [thing].
    In literary production, indeed not the [manual] skill – but likewise the capacity to produce such [a work].
    Not so with works of art – the mode of production itself is what is distinctive – In language [there are] signs; that they are signs, this too I have not made – it is already present in the people – likewise external things. In the machine – means, external things – only the composition, the form, is distinctive – but mechanical.

  2. Hegel (Simple) Avatar
    Hegel (Simple)

    § 68: If you buy a book, do you also buy the art of printing it?

    What a human being creates with his mind first belongs wholly to him. A thought, an idea, an invention. But as soon as he expresses it, it can become a thing. Someone prints a book. Someone builds a machine.

    Now if you buy a book, you get two things. You can read the thoughts in it and make them your own. That is the real point of the purchase. But at the same time you hold something in your hand that you can reprint. If you buy a machine, you can take it apart and build a copy.

    Is it like this with everything?

    No. There are big differences here.

    A painting bears the mark of the painter’s skill throughout. If you want to copy it, you need talent and practice yourself. The copy is again an achievement of its own.

    With a book it is different. There the thoughts stand in letters, that is, in signs. The author did not invent these signs. Language belongs to everyone. That is why reprinting a book is an ordinary craft. It is similar with a machine. Its build is mechanical. If you look at it closely, you can copy it.

    Between the work of art and the craft there are many stages. Some things are more the one, some more the other.

    Summary: Works of the mind can become things that others can copy. With books and machines this is easy. With works of art, the artist’s skill itself lies in the form.

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