© 2026 Modern Express Library
Eco argues that while beauty is often defined by a set of harmonious rules (symmetry, proportion, light), . The book serves as a companion to his previous work, On Beauty , and functions as an encyclopedic taxonomy of the grotesque through art and literature.
: In Christian art, the suffering and lacerated body of Christ was depicted with gruesome detail to emphasize divinity through agony, transforming physical ugliness into a metaphysical grace . Key Themes in the Taxonomy On Ugliness
: What one era found monstrous, another might find fascinating or even "camp." For instance, ancient Greek tragedy used ugliness (like Oedipus's blinded face) to achieve catharsis , heightening the emotional impact of drama. Eco argues that while beauty is often defined
Book review: "On Ugliness" by Umberto Eco - Patrick T. Reardon Key Themes in the Taxonomy : What one
The book organizes its "lexicon of the repellent" into several recurring categories:
Eco argues that while beauty is often defined by a set of harmonious rules (symmetry, proportion, light), . The book serves as a companion to his previous work, On Beauty , and functions as an encyclopedic taxonomy of the grotesque through art and literature.
: In Christian art, the suffering and lacerated body of Christ was depicted with gruesome detail to emphasize divinity through agony, transforming physical ugliness into a metaphysical grace . Key Themes in the Taxonomy
: What one era found monstrous, another might find fascinating or even "camp." For instance, ancient Greek tragedy used ugliness (like Oedipus's blinded face) to achieve catharsis , heightening the emotional impact of drama.
Book review: "On Ugliness" by Umberto Eco - Patrick T. Reardon
The book organizes its "lexicon of the repellent" into several recurring categories:
© 2026 Modern Express Library