Inspiration

The purpose of this book is to reveal the antique pedigree of a now commonplace term, ''Inspiration,'' an essential creation-myth now propelling notions of ''self-expression'' in modern art-making. Knowledge of the ancient sources of such supposedly ''modernist'' fixations will make a significant contribution to historical-cultural thinking, particularly by showing in detail the facts of an unrecognized evolutionary continuity. In order to personify ''Inspiration,'' this study initially focuses