The Philosophy of Mario Perniola: From Aesthetics to Dandyism

Enea Bianchi provides the first in-depth introduction to the pioneering thought of 20th-century Italian philosopher, Mario Perniola. Examining Perniola’s entire oeuvre, this book also pushes his philosophy into new directions by investigating the connection between his aesthetics and the philosophical underpinnings of dandyism.

Rich in influences, from ancient Stoicism to avant-garde revolutionary
movements and his former teacher,
Luigi Pareyson, Perniola’s philosophy is wide-ranging. So, where does one
start? This book highlights and explores numerous notions pivotal to understanding
Perniola’s thought, including: the

sex appeal of the inorganic , the enigma , strategic beauty , and the

artistic shadow .

Combining these concepts with three exemplar dandies - George Brummell, Charles Baudelaire and Oscar Wilde - Bianchi not only sheds new light on these famous figures but also demonstrates the close relationship between their principles and Perniola’s aesthetics. This ranges from the similarity between Brummel’s ritual clothing and Perniola’s ritual thinking to Wilde’s concept of artworks as living things , which is mirrored in Perniola’s view that, regardless of any commercial appropriations, artworks convey ideas, meanings and value.

Through examination of Perniola
together with the phenomenon of dandyism, The
Philosophy of Mario Perniola: From Aesthetics to Dandyism uncovers their shared,
and timely, opposition to the status quo. All four figures engage in a constant
aesthetic challenge against their own lives and times, which has striking
relevance today in an age of mass and digital media, when individuality is
the only weapon against commodification and the banalisation of taste.